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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23417674">What If: Namek</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeckyL1995/pseuds/BeckyL1995'>BeckyL1995</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dragon Ball</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action &amp; Romance, Adventure &amp; Romance, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, F/M, Planet Namek, Romance, Super Saiyan, Vegeta being Vegeta (Dragon Ball)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 05:27:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>83,408</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23417674</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeckyL1995/pseuds/BeckyL1995</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>[Namek AU] Following the events of Namek Saga, Gohan, Krillin and Bulma plot a plan to find the Dragon Balls to resurrect their friends. However, for their unfortunate surprise, Vegeta was able to find them much sooner. Risking her life to save the others, Bulma offers herself to help Vegeta find the remaining Dragon Balls with her radar. Will they be able to work together?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bulma Briefs/Vegeta</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>64</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>135</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1 – The Planet Namek</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em><strong>Author:</strong></em> Becky L. Sly</p><p><em><strong>Title: </strong></em>What If: Namek</p><p><em><strong>Genre: </strong></em>Romance/Adventure</p><p><em><strong>Rating: </strong></em>T (there will be cusswords, violence and some non-explicit sexual situation that might not be appropriated for all readers)</p><p>
  <em> <strong>I just own the plot. All characters belong to Funimation, Toei Animation, and Akira Toriyama.</strong> </em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>WHAT IF: NAMEK</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>by Becky L. Sly</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>Chapter 1 – The Planet Namek</strong>
</p><p>Bulma was absentmindedly poking at her food with her fork while she listened to Krillin and Gohan's discussion. They shared some terrifying news. They had seen this so-called tyrant, Freeza slaughter an entire village of Namekians just to acquire his fourth Dragon Ball. The boys barely escaped from the grasp of one Freeza's henchmen; a pink monster named Dodoria. Luckily, they hadn't encountered Vegeta yet. Although there was no sign of the Saiyan Prince, they weren't sure if Vegeta and Freeza were working together. Fortunately, to their relief, Bulma had gotten news from Earth, and Goku would meet them on Namek in just six days.</p><p>They were at a Capsule Corp. accommodation Bulma had set earlier that day. The boys had just returned from the field and brought a little Namekian kid with them. <em>What were they thinking?</em> Bulma thought as she glanced at the poor kid sitting right in front of her. He was staring at his plate of food with wide eyes.</p><p>"You should eat," Krillin murmured, nudging softly at the arm of the Namekian kid with his elbow. "I know this food isn't very good, but you need to get your strength back."</p><p>Bulma snorted angrily at Krillin, who gawked back nervously. "Not very good?!" She hissed, snapping her closed fist on the table in frustration. "You could show me a little appreciation for once!"</p><p>Krillin swallowed hard while Gohan and the Namekian child stared at Bulma. "No… I-I wasn't talking about the food… It's the best food I ever had!" Drops of sweat ran down the fighter's temple. Gohan snickered beside Bulma and Krillin shot him a nervous glance.</p><p>Bulma huffed and crossed her arms across her chest. "I'm sure he's just too upset to eat." She glanced back at the alien kid, who turned his gaze once again at the food.</p><p>"I'm sorry, but we don't eat," the Namekian child murmured under his breath, his eyes locked onto his plate. "We Namekians only drink water."</p><p>Bulma raised her eyebrows, considering the remark. However, Krillin was faster to reply.</p><p>"But… we saw fields full of vegetables near your village."</p><p>"The fields you saw were of Ajisa plants," the green-skinned boy murmured, glancing at Krillin. He told them the whole history of his planet and how his race had suffered in the past from near extinction.</p><p>"...The elders remember the time our planet was filled with these plants. We farm them now to nurture the land in hope this will bring our home life again."</p><p>The Earthlings listened to his story, sympathetic to his woes. Bulma observed the child in front of her. Although his eyes were sharp, she could notice his hands trembling over his lap.</p><p>"You know, I just realized," Gohan spoke, glancing at the green kid with a soft smile upon his face, trying to lighten the mood a little. "You haven't told us your name yet!"</p><p>The Namekian boy lowered his head, his voice barely audible. "I'm sorry... My name is Dende." Dende glanced back at the Earthlings in front of him. "And who are you? What brought you to the planet Namek?"</p><p>Gohan turned to the Namekian and told him who they were and where they were from. He told him why they wanted to gather all Dragon Balls, and also their experience with the Saiyan warriors in the past.</p><p>"But why did these invaders come here?" Dende whimpered, his gaze fixed on Gohan's.</p><p>"Vegeta probably told them about the Dragon Balls," Gohan murmured.</p><p>"And who knows what Freeza is planning to wish for once he summons the Eternal Dragon," Krillin commented absently, placing both of his arms behind his neck.</p><p>A tense silence hung in the air. They all returned to their plates in front of them, but suddenly the hunger was gone. They could only wonder what evil wish Freeza could possibly have.</p><p>"I have an idea!" Bulma exclaimed suddenly, rising from her seat at the table. Everybody's gaze locked onto her. "Freeza needs all seven Dragon Balls to grant his wish, right? We just have to pick <em>one</em> to hold back his plans until Goku arrives here!"</p><p>Everyone stared at the girl with their eyebrows raised. Krillin sighed heavily before answering.</p><p>"I don't think we'll be able to fight them."</p><p>Bulma crossed her arms in front of her chest, frowning at the fighter. "We may not be able to fight them directly, but if we find one Dragon Ball and hide it, they won't be able to make any wishes!"</p><p>"That won't be enough," Gohan murmured under his breath, his expression tense, his gaze set on his plate on the table. "It won't stop them from looking for the missing Dragon Ball and killing everyone in their way."</p><p>Dende stared at Gohan, and the young fighter could see the intense fear in the Namekians 's eyes.</p><p>"That Freeza seems pretty cruel and merciless," Krillin murmured, while scratching his chin. "And we have no idea where Vegeta is at the moment."</p><p>"Please…" Dende's voice brought the Earthlings back to reality. Bulma glanced at Dende and noticed the tears forming in his eyes while he was grasping his garment's sleeves firmly. "We need your help! <em>Please, tell me you will help my people!"</em> He begged, a single tear running down his soft cheek.</p><p>Krillin approached the Namekian, placing his hand softly over his shoulders.</p><p>"We will try," said the fighter. "But Goku is our best chance against them."</p><p>Dende nodded at Krillin's words. Suddenly, a thought came to mind.</p><p>"I know someone that can help us!" he exclaimed cheerfully, closing his fists, then stood up from his seat. "I will bring you to the eldest Namekian!"</p><p>They all stared, surprised by Dende's words.</p><p>"Who is he?" Krillin asked.</p><p>"He's very wise! He's the father of all Namekians!" Dende continued, his eyes sparkling with hope.</p><p>Bulma frowned at his remark. "He is the father of all… Namekians…?"</p><p>Dende glanced at the girl and nodded, hesitantly.</p><p>"Yes… he spits the eggs out of his mouth." He murmured and Bulma simply stared at him with wide eyes.</p><p>"So… I got it!" Bulma said, smiling. "What you're saying is that 'he' is <em>actually</em> a female!"</p><p>Dende stared at her as if she were speaking an incomprehensible language.</p><p>"Female?" Dende repeated the word awkwardly. "What is a <em>female</em>?"</p><p>Bulma was slack-jawed. She listened as Krillin snickered beside Dende.</p><p>"Looks like you're the only girl on the planet, Bulma," Krillin joked and Bulma snorted at him, crossing her arms in front of her chest and diverting her gaze from the guys.</p><p>"About the Eldest Namekian," Gohan murmured from the other side of the table, getting Dende's attention. "How can we meet him?"</p><p>"I know where he stays," the little Namekian said, hesitantly. "But we should probably get there quickly. The others that attacked my village will probably search for him."</p><p>Krillin raised his eyebrow. "Does the eldest Namekian have a Dragon Ball?"</p><p>Dende nodded in response to the question. Krillin and Gohan stared at each other, realizing that they must act quickly in order to stop Freeza's plan. The two fighters rose from their seats and headed towards the front door of the Capsule Corp. accommodations they were in. They walked outside the cave, followed by Bulma and Dende.</p><p>"We should get to this Elder Namekian soon," Krillin murmured, glancing at Dende. "Freeza's henchmen will have a hard time trying to find him without their scouters."</p><p><em>"We <strong>must</strong> go before it's too late! We must warn him!"</em> Dende exclaimed, running towards Krillin and pulling on his shirt. <em>"Please, you must help me! Please, come with me!"</em></p><p>Krillin placed his hands over the Namekian's shoulders. "All right. Let's go, then," he said, eliciting a soft smile from Dende. "Lead the way, I'll follow."</p><p>"Right!"</p><p>"I don't think it'll take too long," Krillin murmured, glancing at Gohan. "You'll have to wait here with Bulma until I come back." Gohan nodded to his commands.</p><p>In the next second, both Krillin and Dende rose from the ground and stopped mid-air to glance at Bulma and Gohan for a moment before they flew straight towards the Elder Namekian.</p><p>Bulma and Gohan watched as they disappeared in the green sky, both hoping that nothing would happen until their return with the Dragon Ball.</p><p>"Don't worry, Gohan," Bulma whispered, placing her hand softly over the kid's shoulder. "Our plan will work out."</p><p>Gohan stared at her, quiet for a moment.</p><p>"I hope so."</p><hr/><p>Vegeta was flying steadily in the air while Dodoria's words were humming inside the prince's mind. Vegeta could still taste the bitterness on his tongue after he killed that fat scumbag. Although Vegeta's power level had lowered now to its normal state, he could still feel his anger boiling inside his whole body.</p><p>Now he knew the truth. His homeland planet <em>wasn't</em> destroyed by a massive asteroid rain as he first learned from Nappa. It was Freeza's doing all along. He had slaughtered his whole race because he was afraid of them. To that thought, Vegeta knew exactly what scared Freeza.</p><p>"He was scared of the legendary Super Saiyan," Vegeta murmured to himself while still flying, his mind lost in thoughts. He had heard that story many times when he was a young prince. Nappa had repeatedly told him and Raditz about the legend of the Super Saiyan on the nights they were having their meals at a campfire on some alien planets.</p><p>Vegeta clenched his teeth. "You'll pay for this, Freeza."</p><p>He knew deep inside his heart that<em> he</em> was the one determined to be the Super Saiyan. He knew deep down that Freeza would pay for everything he had done to his race, his planet and himself. Freeza would be killed by a Saiyan's hand.</p><p>Vegeta felt his anger boiling up again inside his chest. His power had risen immensely since his fight on Earth, and he felt as he was untouchable now. However, Vegeta knew better. Freeza was beyond his reach and the only way he could kill Freeza was if he gathered the Dragon Balls first and wished for his immortality.</p><p>The Saiyan Prince continued his flight, his mind picturing again the moment he killed Dodoria. He smirked again, feeling his anger ceasing a bit. He hated those bastards that followed Freeza almost as much as he hated Freeza. Vegeta smirked with the thought that now he was able to finally defeat them. He was determined to kill them all, surer than ever that he needed to gather all the Dragon Balls before Freeza.</p><p>"I want to see those bastards try to find the Dragon Balls without their scouters."</p><p>Dodoria had given Vegeta valuable information. Freeza's army had no more scouters, and Vegeta himself destroyed the last one of them as well. They were all blinded, which gave the Saiyan a good advantage. Especially after he had learned how to feel the power levels in the field without any tools.</p><p>"Now, I just have to practice."</p><p>He interrupted his flight for a moment, standing in mid-air. He glanced around him, observing nothing else than the blue grass that covered the majority of the planet's surface, and a green river that ran beneath him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to focus his mind and hone in his instincts. He couldn't sense anyone's energy nearby. He sighed again, still with his eyes closed, trying to keep his mind concentrated. Then, he sensed a glimpse of higher energy. He opened his eyes all of a sudden, losing track.</p><p>"Fuck," he closed his fist tightly. "I just felt it!"</p><p>With his eyes open, he tried to focus again. He felt something, much lower than the energy he just felt, but it was definitely something. It wasn't as high as Dodoria's, but it was still powerful. It reminded him somehow of the same kind of energy he had encountered on Earth.</p><p>Vegeta widened his eyes as the realization hit him. He resumed his flight again, flying at full speed towards the direction of the energy he was sensing.</p><p>"Damn it, Dodoria," he hissed, his sight focused on the path ahead of him. "He <em>was</em> telling the truth about the Earthling!"</p><p>He couldn't believe that the Earthlings managed to arrive at Namek in such a short period of time. However, it didn't matter. Vegeta was stronger than he was on Earth and it wouldn't give him a hard time killing those grubs.</p><p>Then, Vegeta saw his target. He glanced at the ground and found a familiar ki. He lowered his pace and flew down towards them. As he approached the ground, one of them turned to face him abruptly. Vegeta recognized him right away.</p><p>"Kakarot's brat!" His mouth curled in a snarl and his brows drew low, watching as the kid jumped away from the Saiyan's reach. He glanced over the kid and noticed a woman with him. He had never seen her before, but her power level was so low that it almost intrigued him why she was there in the first place.</p><p>When his gaze met hers, Bulma was startled. She felt her legs trembling and she lost her balance, falling on the ground. She could feel a knot forming inside her throat, her hands shivering in fear as the cruel Saiyan walked slowly towards her and Gohan.</p><p>"Ve-Vegeta…?" Gohan stammered, taking a step back, feeling Bulma on the ground behind him.</p><p>Vegeta smirked at them. His smile was almost lethal.</p><p>"Well, well… look who's here."</p><p>Vegeta stared at the Earthlings in front of him. Kakarot's son was bewildered, glancing back at the Saiyan, making Vegeta's smirk grow larger. The Saiyan Prince gazed over the head of the boy, finding the woman shivering on the ground. Her big blue eyes found his. He could almost taste her fear in his mouth.</p><p>"What are two weaklings like you are doing here?" Vegeta asked, stepping slowly towards them. Gohan stepped back, Bulma at his heels. The girl tried to crawl back away from the terrifying Saiyan, her gaze fixed on Vegeta's movements.</p><p>"No-nothing that concerns you," Gohan stammered, feeling his legs going numb.</p><p>Vegeta snorted at the boy. "Oh? Nothing, hm?"</p><p>Gohan swallowed hard. He could feel Vegeta's power level and he knew that he was no match for the Saiyan.</p><p>"I'm looking for the Dragon Balls," Vegeta hissed, crossing his arms against his chest, his gaze locked on Gohan. "Have you seen any?"</p><p>"N-no…"</p><p>"Really?" Vegeta answered with a smirky smile. "I happen to think that it's a big of a coincidence to find <em>you</em>, whose planet <em>had</em> dragon balls doing <em>nothing, </em>so far away from home."</p><p>Vegeta stepped closer to Gohan. "You better not be lying to me," the Saiyan murmured, his expression hard. "Or else, the Earth girl behind you will pay for that."</p><p>Bulma froze in her place. She was trying to crawl slowly away from them. The knot in her throat was burning up inside her. She was holding her tears back as hard as she could.</p><p>Gohan frowned at Vegeta, closing his fists. "I'm <em>not </em>lying!" The boy cried out. "We have no idea where the Dragon Balls are!"</p><p>"So, you <em>are</em> after the dragon balls after all!" Vegeta taunted, ceasing the distance between him and the boy. "Where is Kakarot?"</p><p>"He's not here," Gohan murmured, facing up at the Saiyan who was right in front of him.</p><p>"How neglectful of him," Vegeta smirked, lowering himself to the same height as Gohan. "You know, we Saiyans have to take <em>care</em> of each other." Vegeta placed his glove over Gohan's bowl-cut hair, petting it slightly. The boy was slack-jawed, staring at the prince with his eyes wide.</p><p>However, before Gohan could say anything else, Vegeta punched him in the stomach. The pain was so intense it was dizzying. The boy tried to cough, but it only made the pain increase more. He could feel his guts burning inside him. Gohan collapsed on the ground, curling up in a ball.</p><p>"We are like brothers, you know." Vegeta hissed, a huge grin upon his features.</p><p>Gohan was trembling on the ground due to the intense pain. He tried to roll around and face the cruel Saiyan standing next to him. He glared at Vegeta through his thick bangs.</p><p>"Wait… until my father… gets here."</p><p>Vegeta raised his eyebrows. "So… Kakarot <em>is</em> coming here."</p><p>Vegeta kicked Gohan right in his already injured area. The boy howled in pain, spitting blood onto the blue grass. Vegeta kneeled again, grabbing Gohan's clothes and raising the boy up to his height.</p><p>"You better start talking, brat!"</p><p>Gohan was feeling dizzy with the pain. He stared at Vegeta's deadly eyes, trying hard as he could to not cry out in pain. His mouth curled in a snarl and he spat in the prince's face.</p><p>Vegeta's eyes grew darker. With his thumb, he cleaned the bloody spittle off his left cheek. Without saying a word, Vegeta tossed the boy into the air, throwing him straight at the rocky walls of the cave. Gohan's body cracked as he hit the wall. He dropped down heavily on the ground.</p><p>Bulma was choking, attempting to breathe normally while watching the whole scene. Her eyes followed Vegeta's steps as he walked towards Gohan. She knew he was going to hurt Gohan even more, and she felt useless knowing she had no strength to help the little boy.</p><p>"Please, don't hurt him," she whimpered, feeling her cheeks growing damp with her tears. Vegeta, however, hadn't listened to her words. He reached the boy and once again grabbed him by his garments.</p><p>"Now, let's try again, <em>boy</em>," he hissed at Gohan, who could barely open his eyes. "WHERE ARE THE DRAGON BALLS?"</p><p>Bulma closed her eyes, unable to see what was coming. She knew she was the next one to suffer under Vegeta's hand. She could swear that only one hit from him could be enough to kill her. Earlier that day she was so happy with the news that Goku was on his way to Namek, but it was pointless now. She would be dead by the time he arrived.</p><p>She cried again as he heard Gohan groaning in pain. If only Vegeta hadn't found them, Krillin would have arrived with a Dragon Ball and they would have been able to hide it away from Freeza and Vegeta.</p><p>Bulma opened her eyes all of a sudden as a thought came to her mind. Vegeta didn't <em>know</em> about Krillin and Dende. He had no idea that they both were already headed towards the Eldest Namekian to gather a Dragon Ball. Perhaps, their plan could still work.</p><p>Bulma rose from the ground, wiping her tears away with the back of her sleeve. She knew what she needed to do; she needed to distract Vegeta and get his attention away from Gohan.</p><p>She surveyed the ground for something she could use to hit him. She eyed a few pieces of rock and grabbed a handful of it. She stared at the Saiyan in front of her, his stance showing that he was ready to hit Gohan again. Using all the strength she had, she threw it towards Vegeta, hitting the back of his head.</p><p>"Stay away from him!" Bulma screamed at the prince, who turned on his heels to stare at her, still holding Gohan by his collar.</p><p>"Was that supposed to harm me?" Vegeta murmured archly, tossing Gohan on the ground one more time. He started to walk towards Bulma, his full attention on her. "Not a wise call."</p><p>Bulma swallowed hard, feeling her hands sweating. She stepped back, trying to keep herself away from him. Vegeta continued to walk slowly toward her.</p><p>"You want the Dragon Balls...?" Bulma asked hesitantly, her heart beating rapidly inside her chest. The question caught Vegeta off guard for a moment, making him stop his current pace.</p><p>"What?" He asked her huskily. Bulma swallowed hard again, trying to calm her mind. She knew she had to keep up with her plan to distract Vegeta.</p><p>Bulma narrowed her eyes. "You want the Dragon Balls? I can help you find them."</p><p>Vegeta stared at her bewildered. However, his attention was caught by Gohan, who had grunted something behind him.</p><p>"Bulma… don't…" Gohan groaned behind them, raising his arm up in the air, as he was trying to reach for Bulma.</p><p>"Gohan, shut up!" Bulma snapped.</p><p>Vegeta smirked at her. "I can see that you have the guts, woman," he murmured slyly. "Now, what were you saying about the Dragon Balls? And don't be stupid. Killing you would be shamefully easy."</p><p>Bulma put her hand inside of her front pocket on her vest, searching for something. She pulled her hand out, holding a device on it.</p><p>"I have this," she showed Vegeta the device on her hand, making the prince divert his gaze from her eyes to her hand. "It's a Dragon Ball radar."</p><p>Vegeta gazed at her again, raising an eyebrow. He glanced at the Dragon Ball radar again, hearing it beeping in the woman's hand. He observed as it showed a green map on the screen with small green dots that glowed, probably showing the exact location of each Dragon Ball. His mouth practically watered with excitement. With that device, he would gather all the Dragon Balls in no time.</p><p>"Now, why should I believe you?" Vegeta crossed his arms in front of his chest.</p><p>"I'll tell you!" Bulma spoke up angrily. "We've already collected the Earth's Dragon Balls many times, all thanks to this." She swung the device on the air. "Besides, as far as I can see, that Freeza guy already has four Dragon Balls!"</p><p>Vegeta widened his eyes at that remark, eliciting a grin from Bulma.</p><p>"Do you really want to just keep flying around alone<em> and</em> blind, trying to find the remaining ones before a whole <em>army?</em>" She teased him, making Vegeta grunt cholericly.</p><p>"You may be strong, but you can't cover much ground." Bulma continued. "You don't have time to spare, it's only a matter of time before Freeza finds all of them." She said as an impulse.</p><p>"Hmm. You've got my curiosity. Now hand that <em>locator</em> over!" Vegeta demanded.</p><p>"Not so fast" she murmured, bringing the radar closer to her chest. "If you promise to leave Gohan alone, I promise to help you." Bulma murmured, glancing at Gohan, who was still lying on the ground. <em>C'mon Gohan, remember our plan!</em> Vegeta's next words brought Bulma back from her thoughts.</p><p>"What if I swipe it from you and kill you both?" Vegeta hissed, with a smirk still upon his face. Bulma's eyes widened at him for a moment, before an idea ran through her mind.</p><p>"You <em>could</em> do that," she said, stepping away from him slowly. "But you know, there's just <strong>one</strong> little problem with that."</p><p>Vegeta snickered. "And that is?"</p><p>Before Vegeta could even blink, Bulma raised her hand holding the Dragon Ball radar. She furiously hurled it at the ground, breaking it completely as several parts of the device were tossed in the air.</p><p>"It's broken!"</p><p>Vegeta grunted in frustration, not believing what she had done.</p><p>"What the fuck, woman?!" He screamed at her, his eyes glowering at her blood-thirstily. "I'm gonna fucking <em>kill</em> you both!"</p><p>"Wait!" Bulma cried out, stepping away from his lethal grasp. "I can fix it. In fact, I'm the <em>only</em> one that can fix it!" Bulma screamed, staring deeply into his dark eyes.</p><p>Vegeta growled at her. "How can you fix it?"</p><p>Bulma gestured angrily at him. "I'm the one who invented it. I can fix it whenever I want to!" She stomped angrily on the ground. "You promise to leave Gohan alone, and I'll fix it for you."</p><p>"How do I know you are not lying?" Vegeta closed the distance between them, grabbing Bulma by her vest and raising her from the ground slightly. She instantly grabbed his hand, trying to protect herself. She gazed at him, feeling her heart beating in her throat.</p><p>"I don't lie'' she hissed and Vegeta felt her breath on his mouth. He stared at her, searching her eyes for any sign that she was lying to him. Her big blue eyes were staring feverishly at him. He glanced at her face for a moment, analyzing her delicate pale skin and her blue hair locks that were covering her eyes. He had never seen a woman with such features before.</p><p>"You better be serious, woman," he said, tossing her on the ground. "Now, grab all this crap before I change my mind."</p><p>Bulma nodded at his words and she quickly crawled over the place where she had smashed the Dragon Ball radar. <em>Crap. </em>It was going to take her hours to fix it, but hopefully, it would be enough time for her to plan another move to distract the Saiyan Prince.</p><p>She glanced at Gohan, who was crawling towards her. She wished she could tell Gohan what her plan was, but she didn't know how to communicate telepathically. She continued to pick up all the little parts of the broken radar from the blue grass. She ran her fingers into her pocket again, searching for an empty capsule that she could use to compress the broken parts. She quickly clicked the lid of the capsule, observing as it absorbed all the components from her hand.</p><p>"Okay," Bulma murmured as she raised herself from the ground. "Now I just need t-" She was caught off guard as Vegeta shortened the distance between them again. Without any effort, he raised Bulma from the ground and tossed her over his shoulder as if she were a backpack.</p><p>"Vegeta!" Bulma screamed, scratching across the Saiyan's armor, trying to find purchase. "What are you doing?"</p><p>"Do you think I'm stupid enough to let you fix it <em>here</em>, while you and the brat over there are planning to plot against me?"</p><p>Bulma felt her heart skip a beating. "No…?"</p><p>"I thought so," The prince murmured cockily, raising his feet from the ground. "We are going to search for the Dragon Balls while you fix it!"</p><p>Bulma shivered over the prince's shoulder. She felt the breeze swaying her hair as Vegeta lifted them up in the air. She glanced at the ground, seeing it becoming smaller and smaller as Vegeta continued his levitation.</p><p>"No… no…" Bulma whimpered, her voice muffled since her torso was pressed firmly against his shoulder. She could feel his left arm around her waist, his hand holding her hips roughly.</p><p>"You work for <strong>me</strong> now, Earth woman." Vegeta murmured huskily as he blasted at high speed and flew away with Bulma. Her agonizing scream filled the air for a moment before it was completely gone.</p><p>A dead silence surrounded Gohan, who had finally been able to get up to his knees. He could feel the hot tears of anger blurring his vision as he watched Bulma disappear from sight.</p><p>"Bulma, what have you done?"</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>A/N: If you remember the Namek and Freeza Saga from Dragon Ball Z, you probably noticed I made a few changes regarding the original canon here and there in this chapter. My whole idea with this fic is to write through both Namek and Freeza Saga as the original canon, creating new encounters and events that lead to this new "what if" scenery. So, if things look different but not so different, that's because! I hope you enjoy it!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>RoyalBlueRoses beta'd this chapter! Yeah!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Reviews are always welcome and much appreciated! Thank you so much in advance to anyone who takes the time to write one!</strong>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2 – The Namekian Village</h2></a>
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      <p><em><strong>Author:</strong></em> Becky L. Sly</p>
      <p><em><strong>Title: </strong></em>What If: Namek</p>
      <p><em><strong>Genre: </strong></em>Romance/Adventure</p>
      <p><em><strong>Rating: </strong></em>T (there will be cusswords, violence and some non-explicit sexual situation that might not be appropriated for all readers)</p>
      <p>
        <em>
          <strong>I just own the plot. All characters belong to Funimation, Toei Animation, and Akira Toriyama.</strong>
        </em>
      </p>
      <hr/>
      <p>
        <strong>Chapter 2 – The Namekian Village</strong>
      </p>
      <p>Being kidnaped by Vegeta certainly wasn't part of her plan. Bulma was still being carried away by Vegeta while they were flying at full speed. She had no idea where he was taking her, and with his flying speed at maximum, it only made it even more difficult for her to clearly see the path they were following.</p>
      <p>Several times, Bulma had tried to glance up at the sky, but the blurry sight of the ground rushing past only made her dizzy. And the fact that she was upside down with her stomach firmly pressed against Vegeta's shoulder only aggravated it more. She was gripping his armor as hard as she could to keep her nausea down, but she was beginning to feel that it was a lost battle.</p>
      <p>"Ve-Vegeta… I'm gonna throw up," she moaned, but her voice was muffled by the pressure on her abdomen.</p>
      <p>She had no idea if Vegeta had listened to her words, but suddenly, she sensed his speed lowering, the wind not whipping at her skin so abruptly. She tried to glance up, and noticed that they were flying downwards.</p>
      <p>In a blink of an eye, they reached the ground. Bulma couldn't tell where they were, and Vegeta hadn't taken her down yet. He kept walking with her over his shoulder and she noticed their surroundings getting darker, with the dawning realization that they were entering a cave.</p>
      <p>Being on the ground made her nausea cease a little, but before she could take a proper look around on Vegeta's shoulder, he quickly grabbed her waist and tossed her to the ground in front of him.</p>
      <p>"Ouch!" She exclaimed, rolling over the ground, still dizzy. Bulma massaged her hip with one hand while the other was placed over her forehead, trying to calm her dizziness.</p>
      <p>She finally glanced up, taking a deep breath while looking around her. They were indeed inside a cave, which was smaller than the one she and her friends had settled a camp in. Her gaze met the Saiyan in front of her, finding Vegeta glaring at her, with his arms crossed against his chest and a frown set upon his face.</p>
      <p>"Woman, you're pathetically weak," he murmured, taking a step closer to her. His husky voice startled her slightly. She quickly sat on the ground, crawling her way away from the intimidating Saiyan.</p>
      <p>"Now, it's time to get to business…" he said, with a malicious smirk upon his lips, eliciting a shiver down her spine. She swallowed hard, still crawling away from him while her gaze was fixed on his.</p>
      <p>Vegeta kept walking slowly toward her, and Bulma widened her eyes, noticing the distance between them closing in. His dark, obsidian eyes were so penetrating that her legs started to tremble. She hit her back against the wall, with no more space to run away. <em>Shit! Shit! Shit!</em> She shut her eyes tightly, bracing herself, feeling her blood pressure throbbing in her throat.</p>
      <p>Vegeta ceased his current pace, staring at the woman in front of him. She was against the wall, curled up in a ball. He gazed at her hands holding her legs tightly, noticing that they were trembling uncontrollably. He snorted at the scene. Although the feeling of being feared was one of his favorites, he knew that she wouldn't do shit if she feared him that much.</p>
      <p>"Stop shivering like a mouse, woman!" He demanded, his voice echoing through the rocky walls of the cave. Bulma startles, opening her eyes all in a sudden, her gaze catching the man right in front of her.</p>
      <p>Vegeta kneeled, bringing his face down to the same level as hers. With the proximity between their faces; Bulma held her breath in an impulse. Vegeta grinned as she stopped whimpering.</p>
      <p>He gazed deeply into her big, blue eyes. She was so weak that he almost couldn't sense her ki. And yet, she had managed to get his attention and defy him earlier. Now, even noticeably afraid of him, she was staring straight into his eyes.</p>
      <p>The Earth woman intrigued him.</p>
      <p>He snorted again, rising from the ground and giving his back to her. "Fear not, while you're useful to me, I won't kill you," he murmured huskily. Bulma followed his movements with her eyes. When he was a fair distance away from her, he glanced over his shoulder at her, his expression still bitter.</p>
      <p>"You are the only person on this damn planet that can say that. <strong>Don't</strong> make me regret it."</p>
      <p>Bulma stared at him, bewildered. She swallowed hard, wondering if she could take his words seriously. She looked deeply into his dark eyes, searching for reassurance. He gazed back seriously, almost without blinking.</p>
      <p>"Stop staring at me with your stupid eyes, woman!" he exclaimed, turning his back to her. "Now, you should start fixing the damn radar before I change my mind."</p>
      <p>Bulma jumped at the remark, remembering why she was there. She had promised to help him with the radar if he left Gohan alone. Well, at least he had left the poor kid behind, deciding that capturing her would be more efficient. She sighed heavily. <em>Bulma, what have you gotten yourself into?</em></p>
      <p>She straightened her posture, sitting properly against the rock wall. She rummaged her fingers through her vest's front pocket, finding the capsule she had used earlier. Without paying much attention, she absently clicked the capsule's lip, tossing it to the ground, away from her. Seconds later, the capsule cracked open, the steam slowly dissipated from the air, revealing the broken radar and its components on the bare ground.</p>
      <p>"<em>What the </em><em><strong>fuck</strong></em><em> was that!?"</em> Vegeta screamed, startling Bulma. She turned to look at him, noticing his perplexed expression. He was staring at the place where she had tossed the capsule.</p>
      <p>"Do you mean… this?" she murmured, picking up another capsule from her front pocket. Vegeta peered at her suspiciously, his narrowed eyes following her every move as she tossed the capsule again to the ground, revealing a set of tools seconds later. She grinned at the puzzled expression on his face.</p>
      <p>"It's a capsule that can contain pretty much anything," she murmured. Vegeta crossed his arms against his chest, watching her closely, with wary eyes.</p>
      <p>"How could<em> you</em> possibly acquire such technology?"</p>
      <p>Bulma huffed at the condescending remark. <em>"My father invented it!"</em> She hissed at him, mimicking him by crossing her arms angrily. "You should know, <em>sir</em>, I'm pretty important on Earth as well!"</p>
      <p>Vegeta snickered. "Sure… why would a weakling like you be so important on that pathetic mudball you called a planet?"</p>
      <p>Bulma raised from the ground, now peeved, growling at the Saiyan. "I'm a genius!" She hissed, stomping on the ground. "I've invented and improved several things that improved life on Earth, including the Dragon Ball radar that <em>you</em> desperately want!"</p>
      <p>Vegeta growled at her, closing the distance between them in a second. His nose nearly touching her nose, Bulma attempting to stifle her rapid breaths.</p>
      <p>"Watch your tone, woman," he whispered to her, his voice evoking fear with it's deadly hiss. "I may not kill you, but that doesn't mean I won't <em>hurt</em> you."</p>
      <p>Bulma swallowed hard, nodding steadily at his words.</p>
      <p>"Now, make yourself useful," Vegeta demanded, tearing himself away from her. She sighed in relief once he was a good distance away from her. She kneeled on the ground again, pulling the broken radar back over to herself.</p>
      <p>She gave it a proper inspection; carefully scanning over all the damages she had caused with a practiced eye. She grabbed one of her multi-use tools and started to unscrew the radar's back cover, so that she could see all its internal electrical systems.</p>
      <p>Bulma took a deep breath, her hands working on the radar while in her mind she was distracted, trying to process everything that had happened that day. She knew she was walking a tight line with Vegeta. While he had said he wasn't going to kill her, she knew it was only a matter of time until she would become useless to him. Once the radar was repaired, he would realize how easy it was to use it, and no longer require her assistance.</p>
      <p>Fortunately for her, she had seriously damaged her favorite invention. It would take her hours to fix it, especially since she didn't have all her tools with her. Luckily, it would be enough time for Krillin to arrive with the Dragon Ball. She wondered how Gohan was, and if he was okay after the injuries Vegeta had inflicted on him.</p>
      <p>She stabbed at the electrical wire with her screwdriver angrily; the worries eating away inside her mind souring her mood. If it weren't for Vegeta, their plan would have worked. They would only have needed to wait until Goku's arrival. She would have been back to Earth in less than a week! And now, she was alone in a dark, creepy cave with the <em>last person</em> in the universe she wanted to spend time with! In fact, if it weren't for him, she wouldn't have <em>needed</em> to be on Namek <strong>in the first place!</strong></p>
      <p>"Stupid Bulma," she cursed under her breath, her gaze fixed on the device on her hand. She glanced up to see what Vegeta was doing, then noticed that he must have left the cave. She looked around, trying to see where he was.</p>
      <p>Bulma considered running away for a moment, but he would surely find her. It would only make him angrier. She sighed, glancing back at the device resting on her lap. Then, a thought came to her mind.</p>
      <p>She could still make their plan work. She only needed to drag it out for as much time as she could. If she kept working, but not working <em>enough</em> on it, Vegeta wouldn't notice her plan.</p>
      <p>Bulma smiled to herself, but she quickly hid her smile when Vegeta returned to the cave. She glanced down; noticing from her peripheral that he had grabbed something to eat. She heard her stomach growling, but she tried to not pay much attention to it. She needed to concentrate on acting out her little ruse.</p>
      <p><em>Soon you'll be home, Bulma</em>, she thought to herself.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>One hour had passed, and the Earth woman was <strong>still</strong> working on that blasted radar. Vegeta leaned against the rocky wall, staring at her while she was working on the device. He didn't know it would take hours to get that damn thing sorted out. He was both angry and impatient, and had been watching her work for the entirety of the last hour.</p>
      <p><em>At least she wasn't talking anymore</em>, Vegeta thought to himself. The woman's voice was very loud and noisy. She had dared to defy him <em>twice</em> that day, an action he hoped she had learned not to repeat. She didn't seem to be bothered by his staring though. A few minutes ago, he could swear he had listened to her whistling some odd melody while working. She seemed pretty calm, almost just<em> too</em> calm.</p>
      <p>He frowned at that thought, narrowing his eyes to take a better look at her. She grabbed the tool nearest her and poked at the back of the open device. She wrenched the tiny screw two times before she grabbed a component on the ground and placed it onto the radar. Then she grabbed her screwdriver again, and returned to the same screw she had been working at, and unscrewed it one more time. She turned the device, clicking on the button over it. No result. Then, she grabbed the screwdriver again and screwed that very same screw <em>again</em>.</p>
      <p>The realization hit Vegeta. She was <em>toying</em> with him!</p>
      <p>"Woman, what are you doing?" He snapped, surprising her with his voice. She looked up at him while he stepped closer to her.</p>
      <p>"I'm working on the device," she stated bluntly, gesturing back to the radar on her lap.</p>
      <p>"<em>Really?"</em> He asked ironically, stopping at her side. "And <em>why</em> is it taking all this time?"</p>
      <p>"It's taking the usual time it takes to get this thing fixed..."</p>
      <p>"You don't fool me, woman!" Vegeta growled, making Bulma's eyes widen. "You are taking more time than necessary to fix it! You're toying with me!"</p>
      <p>"I am not!" She shouted. "If you think you can work faster, why don't <em>you</em> try?"</p>
      <p>Bulma could hear the growl rumbling inside his chest. He was glowering at her with his fists clenched. She tried to hold his gaze unflinchingly; hoping the deception wouldn't show in her eyes.</p>
      <p>"That's it!" he hissed angrily, grabbing her by her arm roughly and pulling her up from the ground.</p>
      <p>"Wh-what are you doing?" She whimpered, feeling her skin burning where he was holding her arm so tightly.</p>
      <p>"We are going to look for that Dragon Ball," he growled, pulling her body against his. Bulma shut her eyes in impulse as her cheek hit his harshly; her hand resting on his chest armor. One second he was holding her body firmly against his, and by the next second, he blasted into the air at full speed.</p>
      <p>"Vegeta!" She cried out, unable to move since he was holding her tightly against his torso. "Why are you taking me?!" Her voice was muffled by the breeze that was whipping into her skin again.</p>
      <p>"Because, you must know what your unwise stubbornness will cause," he stated coldly, before speeding up.</p>
      <p>Bulma swallowed hard against his shoulder. She had crossed the line with him and now she was doomed. She glanced up at the sky, finding the blurred vision of the ground again. Afraid of falling out of his grasp, she managed to slide her arms around his neck, holding him firmly. She buried her face against his shoulder, trying to quell her dizziness.</p>
      <p>Vegeta didn't expect that move, but it didn't stop him. He continued flying, trying to concentrate his mind and instincts again on searching for any kind of energy. After a few minutes, he had managed to track a powerful energy coming from the northeast. He flew towards that direction, and as he approached the target, he realized it was actually <em>several</em> beings radiating energy. He smirked, concluding that it was probably a village of Namekians.</p>
      <p>"Let's ask the locals, shall we?" he hissed at Bulma while he continued his flight toward the village. He felt her tensing up under his grasp, making his smirk grow larger.</p>
      <p>After a while, they finally arrived at the Namekian village. Vegeta landed on the ground heavily, tossing Bulma onto the ground.</p>
      <p>Bulma glanced around, noticing several weird-shaped houses all around them. There were all kinds of Namekians surrounding them, even children that looked just like Dende. They all were frightened, staring back at the two visitors. She widened her eyes at Vegeta, wondering what he was about to do. Before she could think any further, Vegeta broke the silence.</p>
      <p>"Which one of you is the Elder Namekian?" Vegeta hissed, staring at the alien group in front of him. "I'm looking for the Dragon Ball. If you have it, hand it over to me now!"</p>
      <p>All Namekians quivered at his demand. One of them stepped ahead and faced Vegeta while clenching his fists, however, an old-looking Namekian placed his hand over his shoulder, making the young green man stop.</p>
      <p>"I'm the oldest one," said the aged looking alien. "I must ask you, why are you searching for the Dragon Balls?"</p>
      <p>Vegeta snorted at the question. "It's my business, old man. Where is it?"</p>
      <p>The old Namekian frowned at Vegeta. He glanced at Bulma on the ground, a quizzical look upon his old face. Bulma felt her heart beating rapidly inside her chest. She knew bad things were about to come.</p>
      <p>"I'm sorry," the old man faced Vegeta again. "I can not give you what you're seeking."</p>
      <p>Vegeta sighed heavily.</p>
      <p>"Wrong answer."</p>
      <p>The following events happened incredibly fast. All Bulma was able to see was Vegeta raising his right arm, his index finger pointed out at the old Namekian in front of him. The next second, a blast was cast into the air, hitting straight at the young man next to the older Namekian, then his body dropped down to the ground, lifeless.</p>
      <p>Bulma gasped from where she lay on the ground; horrified by what had just happened. She glanced up at Vegeta, noticing the hardened expression on his face.</p>
      <p>All the Namekians were slack-jawed, facing the dead body before them. A dead silence hung in the atmosphere. Some Namekians clenched their teeth at the Saiyan Prince, and in the next second, Vegeta was attacked by a group of them.</p>
      <p>Bulma rolled across the ground, avoiding getting hit in the commotion. She tried to cover her head with her hands, muffling the deafening blast sounds and bones cracking in the distance. She curled herself up in a ball, shivering and whimpering in the realization of what was happening.</p>
      <p>She glanced up, only to find that Vegeta was firing lasers towards a couple of young Namekians that were running away from him. Their bodies slammed abruptly against the wall of an oddly shaped house before toppling to the ground.</p>
      <p>"This is bad… This is very bad," Bulma whispered in panic, crawling away from the fighting area, her gaze fixed on Vegeta. The Namekians hurled energy blasts at the Saiyan, making the Earth beneath them tremble from the force. Bulma cried out in fear, being tossed away again by the earthshaking blasts.</p>
      <p>Once the black smoke had disappeared, she saw Vegeta still standing there, completely unharmed.</p>
      <p>The Namekians gawked at the Saiyan in front of them. One of them hurtled a huge blast of energy at him, but Vegeta managed to suppress its power, sending straight back at the green man who had attacked him.</p>
      <p>Vegeta smirked maliciously at them.</p>
      <p>"That's all you got?"</p>
      <p>The remaining Namekians growled at him, and instantaneously, they all dove in to attack the intruder. Bulma was tossed in the air one more time, due to the blasting explosions. She collapsed on the blue grass so roughly, that her teeth rattled inside her mouth.</p>
      <p>Bulma tried to look up, though her head was spinning. She took in the battle scene in front of her, noticing with horror the piles of bodies on the ground. She needed to stop him, but how? She kneeled on the ground; her breath coming out in harsh shudders. Vegeta was defeating more Namekians, adding to the already steep body count.</p>
      <p>"VEGETA, STOP!" She screamed at him, getting up and running towards him. However, her scream was muffled by the next explosion blast that hit the field near her, dashing her body meters away from where she was with its reverberation. With the impact sustained by the brutal fall, she fainted on the ground.</p>
      <p>Vegeta looked around him, realizing that he had managed to defeat every single one of the Namekians that attacked him, with the exception of the oldest one of them.</p>
      <p>"You… you killed them all!" The elder Namekian cried out to the Saiyan, holding in his arms the body of a young green-skinned man.</p>
      <p>Vegeta stepped closer to the old man, cleaning the blood off his sore lower lip with his white-gloved thumb.</p>
      <p>"Are you ready to tell me where the Dragon Ball is?" Vegeta asked, huskily.</p>
      <p>The old man frowned. "No! I won't do it!" He snapped, backing away from the warrior. "You will never find it!"</p>
      <p>Vegeta smirked. "Oh, you think I won't, right?" He murmured somberly. "We'll see."</p>
      <p>With a final blast, Vegeta aimed for the old man, who had no time to defend himself from the attack. Just like the others, the oldest Namekian slumped to the ground, dead.</p>
      <p>The Saiyan Prince glanced at his surroundings. "This does put a smile on my face". He searched for the Earth woman, and for a moment, he wondered if she had been hit by one of the attacks. He finally located her, noticing her unconscious body resting on the ground.</p>
      <p>He walked towards her direction, only getting close enough to sense her energy. She was still alive. Vegeta huffed, choosing to deal with her later. He turned on his heel and headed toward the village houses, certain that the Dragon Ball would be hidden there.</p>
      <p>After a few minutes, Bulma managed to open her eyes. Still laying on the ground, she moaned in pain at the realization that her entire body was painfully sore. She tried to move her arms and legs slightly, making sure that nothing was broken.</p>
      <p>She managed to seat up wearily, placing her hand over her head, trying to ease her headache. She glanced around, the dirty smoke slowly dissipated, leaving the horrifying sight of the previous events.</p>
      <p>Bulma choked back a gasp, seeing the pile of corpses just mere meters away from her. Her heart was pounding inside her chest and she could feel her eyes watering.</p>
      <p>"No… no…" she whimpered, while she stood up from the ground, her legs trembling. "Vegeta… he killed them all."</p>
      <p>She looked around searching for him, but he was nowhere to be found. Bulma's heart beat even faster inside her chest.</p>
      <p>"Where is he?" She murmured to herself, creating a distance between her and the gruesome scene. Still feeling her limbs aching, she tried to run. If Vegeta wasn't there, it was now her chance to run away from him. He had told her that her energy was weak. Maybe she could find a place to hide from him.</p>
      <p>However, before she could plot any further, Vegeta suddenly appeared right in front of her, making her instantly stop running.</p>
      <p>Bulma screamed as she saw him, abruptly stepping back a few paces to keep herself as far away as she could from him. She glanced at him, noticing that he was carrying under his left arm, a huge Dragon Ball.</p>
      <p>"Where do you think you are going, woman?" Vegeta smirked at her, taking a step closer to the Earth woman.</p>
      <p>Bulma's heart skipped a beat. She quickly did the math, and seeing that he had found a Dragon Ball all on his own, she wasn't necessary anymore. Now he wouldn't keep his so-called promise of not killing her.</p>
      <p>A strength she didn't know she had boiled inside her heart. If she was going to die, at least she would die fighting. She stepped closer to him, and with all her anger, she cracked the palm of her hand hard across his cheek with a rage-fueled slap.</p>
      <p>She didn't know if the slap had hurt him, or if he was taken off guard. The surprising fact was that actually Vegeta tipped back from her startling action. The Saiyan placed his right palm over his reddened cheek. He growled at her and with his right arm, he hit her on her shoulder, tossing her away from him.</p>
      <p>Bulma fell on the grass again, her shoulder hurting from the thump. She turned face up and found Vegeta standing next to her. He roughly grabbed her wrist, pulling her up from the ground. Bulma squeezed her eyes with the pain.</p>
      <p>"Do you think I'm fucking kidding?" He growled at her, while Bulma tried unsuccessfully to get out of his grasp.</p>
      <p>"Ve-Vegeta stop… You're hurting me!" She whimpered, but he didn't listen.</p>
      <p>"Did you see what happened there?" He hissed, holding her waist even harder, eliciting a pained yowl from the girl. "That wouldn't have happened if they had cooperated."</p>
      <p>She eyed him, bewildered, her vision blurring as the tears filled up her eyes.</p>
      <p>"No more jiggery-pokery," he murmured huskily, bringing her face very close to his. "Or else, the next time, you'll be seeing your friends die instead."</p>
      <p>Bulma swallowed hard, capturing the intensity of his words. She nodded hesitantly at him, receiving a devilish grin in return.</p>
      <p>"Good," he said, releasing her wrist. "Now, let's get back to the cave."</p>
      <p>She widened her eyes at him. She didn't want him touching her anymore, much less carrying her away. But, her protesting kicks were all in vain. He grabbed her by her waist and pulled her closer to his body. Vegeta flew away, carrying the Dragon Ball under his left arm, and Bulma on his right arm, trying to ignore her constant punches and kicks. He tightened his grip, making it impossible for her to move from his grasp. Smirking viciously, he sped up his path towards the cave.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>
        <strong>A/N: Thanks so much for everyone that reviewed, followed, favorited and read the fic! You make me really happy! I hope you are all well and safe during this crazy period that we are all going through.</strong>
      </p>
      <p>
        <strong>Be Safe!</strong>
      </p>
      <p>
        <strong>This chapter was beta'd by RoyalBlueRoses! She also writes DBZ fics! You should check her work out!</strong>
      </p>
      <p>
        <strong>Reviews are always welcome and much appreciated! Thank you so much in advance to anyone who takes the time to write one!</strong>
      </p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3 – The Dragon Ball Radar</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em><strong>Author:</strong></em> Becky L. Sly</p><p><em><strong>Title: </strong></em>What If: Namek</p><p><em><strong>Genre: </strong></em>Romance/Adventure</p><p><em><strong>Rating: </strong></em>T (there will be cusswords, violence and some non-explicit sexual situation that might not be appropriated for all readers)</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>I just own the plot. All characters belong to Funimation, Toei Animation, and Akira Toriyama.</strong>
  </em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>Chapter 3 – The Dragon Ball Radar</strong>
</p><p>Vegeta was flying at full speed towards the cave he had discovered earlier that day. He had a cocky smirk upon his lips. Killing Dodoria and finding a Dragon Ball had increased the quality of his day immensely. That, and the fact that the Earth woman had finally stopped trying to harm him with her soft kicks and punches.</p><p>After a few minutes struggling from Vegeta's grasp, Bulma had finally given up fighting. Vegeta had pulled her so tightly against his body that it was incredibly difficult for her to move. She buried her face in his right shoulder, avoiding getting dizzy from the blurry sight of the ground rushing past.</p><p>Sooner than she realized, they arrived at the small cave again. Vegeta lowered his speed and headed straight inside the cave, carrying both Bulma, and the Dragon Ball under his arms.</p><p>Bulma sighed heavily, mentally preparing herself to be tossed on the ground again. However, when Vegeta stepped on the ground, he simply loosened his grasp, letting Bulma step away from him. She tore herself away from him wearily; still feeling her whole body was sore. He smirked at her wary gaze on him.</p><p>"Now," Vegeta murmured huskily at her, while gazing into her blue eyes, his smirk still upon his lips. "I hope you've learned your lesson, woman."</p><p>Bulma gazed back, with doleful eyes. She remained speechless, taking small steps away from the Saiyan Prince. She finally reached the end of the cave and dropped herself to the ground, sitting with her back against the wall, bracing her arms around her knees.</p><p>The Saiyan followed her movements with a frown settled upon his features. He grabbed the Dragon Ball he was still holding and placed it carefully on the ground, making sure it was hidden from the cave's entrance. He absently leaned himself against the wall, once again staring at the strangely quiet Earth woman.</p><p>Bulma diverted her gaze from the Saiyan, feeling her heart tightening inside her chest. The images of the earlier events came to mind; making her shiver a little with the terrible thought of the man in front of her, murdering an entire village.</p><p>She shook her head slightly, trying to rid her mind of the thought. She glanced at the ground, finding the Dragon Ball radar she was working on earlier, along with her tools and some spare parts. She glanced at Vegeta from her peripheral, noticing that he still was staring at her. She waited for him to start yelling at her, demanding her to continue fixing the radar. However, he said nothing and continued to stare at her impassively.</p><p>Bulma felt her anger boiling inside her. <em>That merciless murdering son of a bitch!</em> She thought to herself, while digging her nails into the palms of her hands angrily. Although she wanted to punch him and hurt him, she knew better. Her kicks and jabs were only soft tickles for him.</p><p>She sighed heavily, finally taking her time to glance down and properly look at herself. Her clothes were all dirty and torn apart. She could see both of her calf muscles exposed, her pale skin marked with scratches, dirty, with small, brownish bruises. She ran her eyes over her torso, finding her bare arms exposed as well since the sleeves of her vest were torn apart up to her elbows. She carefully ran her fingers across her cheeks and forehead, feeling with her touch alone, more scratches and sore areas.</p><p><em>I must look like a mess</em>, she thought to herself. She curled herself up, reaching around her legs, then rolling up both her trousers to the mid-calf. With the movement, her right wrist stung in pain.</p><p>"<em>Crap!"</em> She moaned loudly, impulsively holding her wrist to see what caused the pain. She inspected the wounded area, realizing a huge, blueish-purple, sore bruise was painted across her pale skin where Vegeta had held her earlier. She could even see the marks of his fingers imprinted onto her delicate skin.</p><p>She glanced up and found him staring at her. Her moan made him step closer to her to see what was going on. Noticing the bruise on her right wrist, he said nothing and quickly diverted his gaze away.</p><p>Bulma looked back at her injured hand, rummaging inside one of her vest pockets for her emergency first aid kit. When she finally found it, she tossed the capsule on the ground, and seconds later a red and white plastic box appeared before her eyes.</p><p>She reached for the box and opened it atop her lap, searching for some analgesic ointment and a bandage that she could use on her injuries. She could tell that Vegeta was still staring at her, intrigued, but she didn't care. When she finally found the ointment, she carefully massaged the cream over the bluish skin of her wrist, squeezing her eyes painfully with just the motion of touching the sensitive area. Using her teeth to assist, she wrapped the bandage around her wrist, securing her right arm carefully.</p><p>"Great, now it will take me hours to fix that damn radar with an injured wrist," she murmured under her breath.</p><p>She was contemplating her work when Vegeta stepped away from the wall he was leaning on. Bulma glanced at him tensely, her gaze meeting his. He stared deeply in her eyes, diverting his gaze a few moments to her injured wrist resting now on her lap. She waited for him to speak, however, Vegeta glanced at her one last time before turning on his heels and showing his back to her, walking outside the cave, disappearing from her sight.</p><p>Bulma gazed at the cave's entrance for a while; wondering where he went. She glanced at the Dragon Ball that was still hidden in the cave, making her conclude that he wouldn't go far with the Dragon Ball still there. She snorted angrily while gathering all the medical items and putting it away in the first aid box, knowing that if she tried to escape again, he would catch her.</p><p>Not so long after that, Vegeta returned to the cave, carrying something in his arms. He walked closer to Bulma, kneeling on the ground and placing on the floor a bunch of exotic alien fruits. He also placed what seemed to be a giant, freshly smoked fish besides them.</p><p>"You should eat," he grunted, glancing away from her while absently taking a bite from the fish he brought. "I need you alive, don't mistake it for kindness."</p><p>Bulma was slack-jawed staring at him. Her anger a raging fire inside her chest.</p><p>"You're a monster," she hissed at him bitterly.</p><p>Vegeta sneered at her comment. "As if I've <em>never</em> heard that one before," he murmured, before taking another bite of the fish. Bulma clenched her fists, glaring at the man.</p><p>"<em>You killed an entire village!</em>" she snapped angrily, eliciting an absent shrug from the Saiyan Prince. "<em>There were kids among them!</em>"</p><p>"You're just lucky they were all weaklings," Vegeta murmured coldly, taking another bite. "If they were warriors, they would have killed you too."</p><p>Bulma widened her eyes, bewildered by the sheer lack of remorse coming from him.</p><p><em>"You're nothing but a killer!</em>" she scoffed at him. "I <em>pity</em> people like you."</p><p>Vegeta glanced at her while slowly chewing his meal. His obsidian eyes, intense.</p><p>"The men fighting to <em>protect </em>your planet were '<em>killers'</em> as well," he said huskily, his gaze drilling deep into her eyes. "Maybe they deserve your pity, as well."</p><p>Bulma glowered at him, insulted by his words. "They are <em>nothing</em> like you! You're a merciless monster that knows <em>nothing</em> but how to kill and death!"</p><p>Vegeta angrily tossed the remaining fish bones to the wall, cleaning his teeth with his tongue before glancing back at the Earth woman. His eyes were dark, a scowl upon his face.</p><p>"What do <em>you</em> know about death?" Vegeta said somberly, his gruff voice echoing through the cave walls.</p><p>Bulma held her breath in when Vegeta moved from his spot and walked towards her, kneeling on the ground right in front of her, his face the same level as hers. Gazing back, Bulma could tell that his expression wasn't as hardened as before.</p><p>"Let me tell you something, Earth woman," Vegeta murmured raspily, his gaze fixed on her big blue eyes. "You don't have <em>any</em> idea how the universe works. Everyone <em>fights</em> and <em>kills</em> in order to not get killed. And if you <strong>don't</strong> fight, you <strong>die</strong>."</p><p>Bulma swallowed hard; feeling her blood pressure pulsing in her throat with the proximity of their bodies.</p><p>"You said you pity people like me, but you have no idea how it feels to have your planet destroyed, your entire race under the boot of a tyrant, obeying his every order, just to be tossed away like an insect."</p><p>Bulma's mouth dropped slightly, as his words of grief weighted her heart.</p><p>"You've come from a place where death is <em>meaningless</em>." Vegeta continued, his grave gaze still on hers. "You live in a world where you have Dragon Balls at your demand, and you can wish for everything you could ever imagine."</p><p>Bulma widened her eyes at the remark, hearing the growl rumbling inside his chest.</p><p>"You know <em>nothing</em> about death," Vegeta grunted, finally diverting his gaze from her. He rose from the ground and turned his heels towards the spot he was before, away from her. He sat on the ground again, sighing heavily, selecting a fruit from the pile, then taking a bite.</p><p>"Call me monster all you want," he said, spitting the fruit's pulp on the ground. "But don't judge me if I'd rather be the hunter than the prey."</p><p>Bulma breathed heavily, glancing at the Saiyan Prince while he was chewing the fruit. She couldn't lie to herself, the intensity of his words had truly hit her. As much as it pained her to admit, he was right about what he said. Many times, she and her friends had managed to cheat death and bring her friends back to life. In fact, here she was again, on an alien planet ready to resurrect her friends <em>again</em>.</p><p>However, by the tone of his voice, she realized that the intimidating Saiyan sitting next to her had suffered a lot as well, probably under Freeza's hand. She found it hard to believe that his entire race had been exterminated, but she doubted he would lie about such a terrible thing.</p><p>Vegeta finished his fruit quickly, grabbing another one, starting to devour it already. That sight reminded her of her friend Goku, making her heart soften slightly.</p><p>"I didn't know..." Bulma whispered, grabbing absently a purple, apple-shaped fruit from the pile.</p><p>"How could you?" Vegeta grunted bluntly, turning his face to the Earth woman in time to see her nibbling at the fruit.</p><p>"I thought you were just a dumb brute," Bulma murmured under her breath, glancing back at him, shrugging absently while chewing.</p><p>Vegeta was quiet for a moment, surprised by her comment. Without saying anything, he simply continued to eat the fruits he brought; he and Bulma shared a silent meal.</p><p>After a while, they finished the meal Vegeta had brought. Bulma ate three fruits while Vegeta alone devoured the rest. Soon, tiredness started to catch up with Bulma. She was trying as hard as she could to keep herself awake, not wanting to be unconscious near Vegeta.</p><p>The Saiyan Prince noticed her tiredness, staring at her while her head was hanging awkwardly in the air. Several times she had closed her eyes, only to wake up suddenly a few seconds later.</p><p>Vegeta sighed heavily, raising from the ground, then heading closer to her.</p><p>"You should rest, woman," he murmured, his voice waking her up. She was startled, facing up at the man standing right next to her. Bulma stared at him, considering if she should trust him.</p><p>Noticing how unsure she seemed to be, Vegeta sighed heavily. "I won't harm you. <em>I promise.</em>"</p><p>Bulma blinked at the remark, considering his words for a moment. However, feeling her whole body exhausted by the day, she decided to just give in and accept his suggestion. She adjusted her posture, trying to get as comfortable as she could against the rock wall.</p><p>"If you promise…" she murmured under her breath, closing her eyes slowly. Not long after that, Vegeta could hear her snoring softly.</p><p>He walked back to his place, sitting on the ground near the Dragon Ball. He wasn't tired at all. In fact, he was very accustomed to sleepless nights during his missions on the alien planets he had visited before.</p><p>However, this whole situation certainly was new to him; he had never watched someone else sleep before. Vegeta didn't know why, but somehow the injuries he had inflicted on her had troubled him more than he would have liked to admit.</p><p>He glanced at her, watching her sleeping from a distance. He could still see the scratches and bruises all over her pale skin. To be honest, it almost surprised him how she managed to survive, being as weak as she was.</p><p>Not only had she managed to survive, but she actually had slapped him pretty hard, directly on his face, an action he didn't expect. A shy grin spread over his lips while Vegeta thought about her fierceness.</p><p>"The woman sure has the guts," He murmured under his breath while glancing at her face. She seemed calm with her head leaned over to the side slightly. Her silent snores filled the air for a moment before she chortled while still asleep. Vegeta grinned at that, his eyes rummaging over her face and body. Her pale skin and delicate features framed by her bluish hair made Vegeta conclude that the woman in front of him was undoubtedly <em>beautiful</em>.</p><p>Vegeta never <em>had</em> thoughts like this towards alien females before. For him, none of them were worth more than just an occasional pleasure release. They were just worms to him, and he would never consider any of the females he had been with anything like beautiful. However, there was something different with the one dozing right next to him. <em>She was different</em>.</p><p>Vegeta shook his head abruptly, trying to get rid of those thoughts. He didn't have time to spare leering around the Earth woman. He suppressed his feelings down, breathing heavily while wondering how many hours the woman would need to sleep.</p><hr/><p>A few hours had passed by the time Bulma finally woke up. The light coming from outside made her squint her eyes a little. Since she was on a planet that had three suns, it was very difficult to determine if it was day or night, or how much she had slept. She opened her eyes slowly, yawning while stretching both her arms in the air. Her eyes went towards her right wrist, noticing that it wasn't as sore as before.</p><p>She glanced in front of her, realizing that Vegeta was still there, sitting just a few meters away from her. Narrowing her eyes, she was able to see that he had gathered a bunch of fruits again and was already eating a handful of it.</p><p>Vegeta caught her movements with his peripheral and without saying anything, he tossed a single greenish fruit towards her direction. The fruit rolled over the ground until it reached her left foot.</p><p>Bulma grabbed the fruit. "Thank you," she murmured, her voice still husky from her sleep. Vegeta said nothing and continued his breakfast. Bulma mimicked him and ate the fruit on her hand as well.</p><p>After finishing her meal, she glanced at the broken radar laying on the ground. She sighed heavily, crawling on the ground to reach it. <em>Better I start working on it before anyone else dies</em>, she thought to herself.</p><p>She quickly grabbed her multi-use tool and returned her gaze on it, carefully scanning over the device on her hand. She once again unscrewed the back cover and took a proper inspection over the wires. She had already replaced all the missing components and now it was only a matter of testing the electrical system.</p><p>"It's done," Bulma murmured after some time, her voice taking Vegeta away from his wonders. He rose up from the wall he was leaning next to the Dragon Ball and walked towards her.</p><p>"Are you sure it is working?" he hissed at her, his signature scowl upon his face. Bulma nodded at him, getting up from the ground.</p><p>"Yes," she simply said, raising the device in the air and bringing it closer to the Saiyan. She clicked the button on top of the radar, showing the green map again with green dots glowing on it. "It's all good to use."</p><p>"Good," Vegeta huffed. "Now <em>hand</em> it over to <em>me</em>!"</p><p>Bulma widened her eyes, as something occurred to her mind. If he used the locator, he could find Krillin and Dende. Vegeta would harm them in the process. She couldn't afford that risk. She bit her lower lip, trying to plot something.</p><p>Vegeta noticed her hesitating. "Don't you <em>dare</em> plot against me, woman." he hissed huskily, stepping closer to her.</p><p>"N-no… I'm not plotting against you," Bulma swallowed hard as the distance between them closed.</p><p>"Then, be a good woman and hand the locator over."</p><p>Bulma frowned as an idea came to her mind. "Why don't you take me with you?"</p><p>Vegeta blinked at her remark, his eyes narrowing at her. "Why would I do that? You would only weigh me down."</p><p>Bulma placed her hand on her hip, staring deeply into his eyes.</p><p>"Are you <em>sure</em> you want to leave me here, <em>alone</em> with the Dragon Ball?"</p><p>Vegeta's mouth curled in a snarl and his brows drew low. Leaving no distance between their bodies, he grabbed her vest, lifting her from the ground slightly.</p><p>"<em>You wouldn't dare!</em>" he grunted, his mouth so close to her face that she could taste his breath on her tongue. She grabbed his hand, trying to protect herself. She knew it was a risky chance, but she needed to take it. She stared at him back, her eyes full of determination. They didn't break their gaze for minutes, neither of them wanting to give in on their mutual challenge.</p><p>However, to Bulma's surprise, Vegeta was the one who broke their gaze. He freed her from his grasp, turning his back to her.</p><p>"You are a pain in the ass, woman," he sneered with his back to her, unable to see Bulma grinning victoriously at him. She glanced down at the radar in her hand, scanning the green map on it. She wanted to make sure they would stay a fair distance away from where her friends were. She zoomed in the map, noticing a beeping dot near where they were.</p><p>"Here," she murmured, walking towards Vegeta. "I found a Dragon Ball very near here."</p><p>Vegeta glanced at her again, his eyes gazing at the radar on her hand. He saw the dot she mentioned and huffed in response. He moved his right arm, trying to reach for her body when Bulma jumped from his touch.</p><p>"Do you really need to carry me around like that?" she whimpered, and Vegeta glared at her.</p><p>"And here I thought you've learned to talk less, woman" he hissed, impatiently. "<em>You</em> were the one asking to join <em>me</em>."</p><p>"Yeah, but I don't like you crushing my bones!" She snapped, placing her hand on her hip angrily. "Why don't you carry me over your back?"</p><p>Vegeta widened his eyes at her, bewildered. It was barely noticeable, but for a moment, she could swear that his cheeks were red.</p><p>"<em>You will not mount me, woman!</em>" he snarled, clenching his teeth, making Bulma to back away from him.</p><p>"Okay, I'm sorry for that." She whispered, startled. "It's fine… you can carry me the other way, then."</p><p>Vegeta snorted something inaudible and stormed towards her, grabbing Bulma by her hips and pulling her body against his. She only had time to wrap her arms around his neck before they blasted in the air at full speed.</p><p>Bulma brought the radar closer to their faces, holding it carefully while Vegeta continued flying.</p><p>"<em>Now, we just need to follow this track!</em>" she screamed at him, her voice slightly choppy by the wind whipping through her hair. Vegeta nodded at her words, then glanced at the radar in front of his eyes. He could see the single dot glowing on its screen.</p><p>After a few minutes, they approached the location of the Dragon Ball. Vegeta lowered his speed and flew down towards the ground. There was no energy nearby that he could sense. Only a vast field, and a lake ahead of them.</p><p><em>At least there isn't anyone here for him to kill</em>, Bulma thought to herself, also realizing that they were alone. Vegeta landed on the ground, freeing Bulma from his hold.</p><p>"Where is it, woman?" He grunted, crossing his arms across his chest. Bulma scanned the radar, analyzing the green dot beeping on the screen.</p><p>"I think it's underwater," she murmured, while scratching her chin, her eyes glancing from the radar in her hand, to the lake in front of them.</p><p>"Why would it <em>be</em> underwater?" Vegeta sneered, his gaze wary.</p><p>"Maybe the Namekians threw it there, trying to hide it away from Freeza," she commented, staring at him. <em>And from another, a Saiyan Prince</em>, she added to herself.</p><p>"Is this thing waterproof, woman?"</p><p>Bulma huffed at his condescending question. "<em>Of course it is!</em>"</p><p>Vegeta stood quietly for a moment, considering her words. After a while, he stepped closer to her.</p><p>"Hand it over, woman" he grunted, opening the palm of his white-gloved hand to her. Bulma scrunched up her nose angrily.</p><p>"<em>That's it!</em>" she snapped, eliciting a frown from the Saiyan. "My name is Bulma! BULMA! You could show a little respect towards me, <em>your highness!</em>"</p><p>Vegeta glowered at her, shortening the distance between their bodies in a blink of an eye. His nose was touching hers, and she saw the enraged glare burning in his dark, obsidian eyes.</p><p>"You are crossing the line to my bad side again, <em>Bulma</em>," He sneered, his right hand grasping her vest again. "Don't be stupid, <em>Bulma</em>," he continued somberly. "I <em>can</em> kill you."</p><p>Bulma didn't break their gaze. She could feel his warm breath over her skin.</p><p>"Yeah, you told me that already," she hissed as an impulse, her gaze almost as serious as his. "I wonder why you haven't done it already."</p><p>She regretted her words the moment they slipped out of her mouth. But it was too late. Vegeta was staring at her, bewildered, his mouth slightly opened. However, before Bulma could do anything, Vegeta freed her from his grasp, taking a few steps away from her.</p><p>"That's a good <em>fucking</em> question," he grunted angrily, grabbing the radar from her hand and turning his back to her, heading towards the lake ahead of them while grumbling something Bulma couldn't understand.</p><p><em>This female species is such an enigma</em>, he grunted to himself while taking a step into the water, disappearing from her sight a few seconds later.</p><p>Bulma was left alone in the field, trying to understand what had just happened.</p><p>"Well…" she murmured absently while taking a seat on the blue grass, still facing the lake Vegeta had dove in. "He doesn't know anything about personal space, that's for sure."</p><p>She sat on the ground, running her fingers through the grass, absently digging holes on the dirt. Vegeta was taking more time than she imagined. She wondered if he had found the Dragon Ball, and now had left her alone. She shivered at that thought. Not only was she alone in the middle of an alien planet, but Vegeta had the tool he needed to find all the Dragon Balls, including the one Krillin and Dende had.</p><p>She could feel her hands sweating as the minutes flew by. She started to dig handfuls of grass and leaves worriedly from the ground, when a twig cracked behind her. She jumped at the sound and rolled herself across the ground to face where the noise had come from.</p><p>There, standing right in front of her, were two reptilian looking aliens wearing the same armor as the ones who destroyed the ship that brought her and her friends to Namek.</p><p><em>They must work for Freeza</em>, she thought, whimpering at the realization. She was frozen on the ground, unable to move a single muscle.</p><p>"Look what we have here," one of them spoke up, taking a step closer to her.</p><p>"She doesn't look like the other Namekians," the other murmured, also walking slowly towards her.</p><p>"<em>What are you doing here?</em>" The first one screamed at her. Bulma swallowed hard, trying to moisten her mouth before speaking.</p><p>"No-nothing…" she murmured, slowly crawling away from them.</p><p>"We are looking for the Dragon Balls," the second one said, startling Bulma even more. "Do you know where they are?"</p><p>Bulma shook her head steadily, feeling her hands trembling on the ground.</p><p>The first alien snorted to his comrade. "She doesn't know shit. We should kill her already."</p><p>Bulma whimpered, while the two reptilian aliens glanced at her. The second alien smirked mischievously at her, eliciting a cold shiver down her spine.</p><p>"Maybe she could <em>amuse</em> us before we kill her," he said, licking his lips, then walking closer to her. Bulma gasped in shock, rolling her body on the ground and raising up from it, trying to run away from her predators. However, she felt her left leg being pulled down harshly, causing her to collapse on the ground. She tried to dodge her attacker, but before she could move, he was already over her body.</p><p>"Such a wild thing!" the alien murmured, cockily as Bulma tried to punch him as hard as she could. She stared at his yellowish eyes and with all her fury, she spit right onto his face. The reptilian alien cleaned his face, glowering at the woman under him. He grabbed her throat tightly. "<em>You'll pay for that!</em>"</p><p>Bulma squeezed her eyes tightly as she choked and gasped for air. She heard a deafening blast sound rocket through the air, and in the next second, the pressure over her throat was suddenly gone. She coughed hoarsely, trying to regain her breath.</p><p>She glanced to her side and saw her attacker on the ground meters away from her, dead. She quickly glanced to the opposite side just in time to see Vegeta standing outside the lake. Droplets of water were dripping down his hair and face, while his arm was aiming in the direction her attacker was.</p><p>
  <em>He had saved her.</em>
</p><p>In a blink of an eye, he aimed for the other alien, casting his powerful blast towards him. He killed the other one, effortlessly.</p><p>Bulma kneeled on the ground, still staring at Vegeta. He slowly walked towards her, holding another huge Dragon Ball under his arm.</p><p>"Those were Freeza's minions," he murmured huskily, as Bulma got up from the ground. "They must be searching for the Dragon Ball."</p><p>Bulma glanced at the Dragon Ball under his arm, noticing that he was still holding her Dragon Ball radar. She frowned at him. If he already had grabbed the Dragon Ball and still had the radar, why had he returned?. And even more; why had he <em>saved</em> her?</p><p>"Vegeta…" Bulma whispered weakly, getting the Saiyan's attention that only nodded to her to continue. "Why… why did you save me?"</p><p>Vegeta was caught off guard, noticeably not expecting that question. He cleared his throat, diverting his gaze from hers and turning his back slightly.</p><p>"It was the logical thing to do."</p><p>Bulma frowned, moving closer to look him directly in the eye. He met her gaze again, her big blue eyes begging for a better answer.</p><p>Vegeta smirked maliciously at her. "Don't be foolish, woman," he murmured huskily. "I don't know how reliable this <em>thing</em> is." He said while swinging the radar in front of her face. "I may need some technical support."</p><p>Bulma grinned at his comment, making Vegeta to divert his eyes again from her eyes. Maybe she was being foolish, but she couldn't lie about the feeling of her heart warming inside her chest.</p><p>"Thank you, Vegeta," she softly said, eliciting a shrug from the Saiyan Prince.</p><p>"Don't flatter yourself, woman," he said, approaching her and roughly grabbing her waist as usual. She quickly wrapped her arms around his neck before he could take off. "You'll be insufferable"</p><p>"<em>Bulma,</em>" she corrected him, still with a grin upon her lips.</p><p>"Whatever," he hissed, busting into a high speed from the ground, while passing to Bulma her radar so they could continue their search.</p><hr/><p><strong>A/N:</strong> <strong>Thanks so much for everyone that reviewed, followed, favorited and read the fic! I'll try my best to keep up with the updates! So, are you guys enjoying the fic, so far?</strong></p><p>
  <strong>This chapter was beta'd by RoyalBlueRoses!</strong>
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  <strong>Reviews are always welcome and much appreciated! Thank you so much in advance to anyone who takes the time to write one!</strong>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4 – Freeza's Henchman</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em><strong>Author:</strong></em> Becky L. Sly</p><p><em><strong>Title: </strong></em>What If: Namek</p><p><em><strong>Genre: </strong></em>Romance/Adventure</p><p><em><strong>Rating: </strong></em>T (there will be cusswords, violence and some non-explicit sexual situation that might not be appropriated for all readers)</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>I just own the plot. All characters belong to Funimation, Toei Animation, and Akira Toriyama.</strong>
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</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>Chapter 4 – Freeza's Henchman</strong>
</p><p>Vegeta was carrying Bulma against his body, flying at full speed, while her eyes were focused on the Dragon Ball radar she was holding tightly in her hand. Her heart began beating faster as the thought of a bigger problem occurred to her.</p><p>Staring at the green map on the radar, she could locate all seven Dragon Balls that were on Namek. Four of them were several miles away from them, probably under Freeza's grasp. One of them, much closer from their location, was the one taken by Vegeta from the Namekian village, now hidden in the small cave that they had been earlier. Vegeta was carrying the one that was hidden underwater, while they were heading towards the remaining one; the one that was alone with Krillin and Dende.</p><p><em>Shit!</em> Bulma thought to herself. Deep inside, Bulma knew it was only a matter of time until Vegeta found the Dragon Ball hidden with her friends. She had anticipated that, but she wished it'd have happened much later, until Goku's arrival, at least.</p><p>She glanced at Vegeta from her peripheral, noticing his expression was hard as he gazed at the path ahead of them, already following the track of the remaining Dragon Ball beeping on the radar.</p><p>Bulma sighed heavily, wondering how she could prevent Vegeta from hurting her friends in order to get the Dragon Ball. Although she knew he was merciless, very recently he had shown her another side of him. He could have left her to be taken by Freeza's minions, but instead, he saved her. Bulma thought maybe if she was on his good side, perhaps he would listen to her. <em>Maybe</em>, if he knew he could trust her, she would have a better chance to save her friends.</p><p>"I was thinking," Bulma murmured, her voice slightly muffled by the wind whipping through her hair. "This Dragon Ball that we're going after is the last one that isn't under Freeza's reach."</p><p>Vegeta was quiet, making Bulma wonder if he had listened to her words. "After acquiring this one, how do you expect to get the others?"</p><p>Vegeta was expressionless, his eyes focused on the path ahead. Bulma bit her lower lip, her gaze intense on the Saiyan Prince.</p><p>"By any means necessary," Vegeta said bluntly, a serious expression chiseled into his features. "Besides, I'm pretty confident I can take care of them..." he murmured huskily as he smirked to that remark, remembering how he so easily overpowered Dodoria.</p><p>Bulma sighed heavily. "Well… let's say you <em>do</em> acquire all seven. What's next?" She asked him, hesitantly. He was quiet for a moment, taking a deep breath before opening his mouth.</p><p>"I'm going to wish for my immortality." He grunted, not looking at her.</p><p>"Immortality? Of all the things you could wish for… you want <em>that</em>?" Bulma murmured under her breath, but Vegeta managed to hear her mumblings.</p><p>"Is that so? What's better than to be immortal?" Vegeta grunted, annoyed. Then glanced at the Earth woman in his hold for a brief moment.</p><p>"Let's see... you could wish for true love!" Bulma exclaimed cheerfully as the thought came to her mind. "Imagine being rescued by a noble prince in your time of need! And, he would be the one destined to be your true love..." Bulma continued listing off her fantasies absently, barely paying any mind that she was still talking with Vegeta, of all people.</p><p>"W...What!?" Vegeta grunted, baffled, but Bulma wasn't listening to him.</p><p>"You could wish for eternal youth, eternal beauty..." She continued her daydreams, not noticing the speechless man staring at her, bewildered. "Personally, right now, I'd sure wish to leave this Planet. This is a whole mess!"</p><p>"<em>Are you out of your mind!?" </em>Vegeta hissed angrily at her, startling Bulma and bringing her back from her wonders. "Nothing is better than to be immortal! Especially none of the delusional little thoughts of a weakling!"</p><p>Bulma huffed at his comment. "Why Immortality? What's so <em>special</em> about living forever? Why do you want to be immortal?"</p><p>"Why do you care?" Vegeta hissed harshly at her, his gaze meeting hers for a moment before he returned his attention to the path. Bulma swallowed hard, trying to calm her heart.</p><p>"Well, I thought since I'm helping you, at least I could know <em>what</em> I'm helping you to achieve." She murmured bluntly, her gaze still on him. She noticed how his jawline tensed up from her comment, and Bulma hoped she was not crossing over the thin line to his bad side again. <em>With this guy, it's always like walking on eggshells</em>, she thought to herself.</p><p>Vegeta's mouth curled in a snarl and his brows drew low. "Freeza must pay for what he has done."</p><p>Bulma stared at him quietly, considering the weight of his words. He finally gazed at her back, her eyes meeting his dark, obsidian eyes.</p><p>"The only way to defeat him, is if I became immortal." he murmured huskily at her, making Bulma nod at his words steadily. Vegeta glanced away from her, returning his focus on his flight path.</p><p>"Wouldn't that be… <em>lonely</em>?" Bulma murmured absently, eliciting a frown from Vegeta. For a brief moment, Vegeta glanced at her again. However, Bulma felt the Saiyan Prince tensing up, his scowl carved into his features again.</p><p>A sudden sensation came to Vegeta, he felt someone flying not so far from then. "Zarbon," he muttered angrily, and Bulma widened her eyes.</p><p>"What? Who is Zarbon?"</p><p>"He's one of Freeza's henchmen, and he's right near us," he hissed while lowering his flight position. Bulma glanced at the ground, noticing that they were approaching it. Bulma felt her heart racing wildly inside of her chest.</p><p>"What are we going to do?" She asked him hesitantly, as Vegeta reached the ground and stepped onto the blue grass. He freed Bulma from his hold, passing the huge Dragon Ball to her hands.</p><p>"<em>You</em> and the Dragon Ball are going to hide while <em>I</em> am going to take care of that bastard," he growled at her, as her hands touched the cold, golden yellow surface. However, when Bulma tried to pull the Dragon Ball closer to herself, she felt a good amount of resistance from his grip.</p><p>"Don't try anything funny," Vegeta grunted at her, his grave eyes drilling into hers seriously. Bulma scrunched up her nose angrily.</p><p>"Yeah, or else you'll kill me," she sneered in a deadpan voice, pulling the Dragon Ball harshly from his grasp. It was way heavier than she'd imagined. "You told me that, like a hundred times, already."</p><p>Vegeta smirked at her. "It's good to remember the obvious, woman."</p><p>"You gonna handle that guy alone?" Bulma asked him, holding the Dragon Ball securely against her torso. Vegeta's grin grew large as he smirked mischievously at her.</p><p>"Zarbon can't handle my power," He said, clenching his first. "You better hide now, and once I'm done with him, I'll get you."</p><p>Bulma looked in his eyes for a moment, nodding in agreement. She glanced around, trying to find a place where she could hide. She ran towards a pile of rocks, carefully hiding her body against it, placing the huge Dragon Ball on the ground. She peered over the edge of the rock, noticing that Vegeta was already in mid-air.</p><p>Bulma could see that Vegeta was in his fight stance already, the wind swaying his black hair slightly. His expression was hard while he waited for his enemy. Not long after that, another figure suddenly appeared in the sky, floating upright in the air, facing the Saiyan Prince. Bulma narrowed her eyes, trying to get a better look at Zarbon. She was bewildered to see that the alien facing Vegeta was indeed, very handsome. In fact, Bulma concluded that if Vegeta hadn't told her already that Zarbon was one of Freeza's henchmen, she would be screaming for the princely looking alien to rescue her from Vegeta.</p><p>"So, we finally meet again, Zarbon" Vegeta's voice echoed through the air. "What a surprise," he hissed ironically. "I already disposed of that useless Dodoria. Now, I will do the same thing to you."</p><p>Zarbon gasped in surprise. "What? There's no way you beat Dodoria all by yourself..." he uttered softly in disbelief, his voice was warm and melodic. "You must be lying!"</p><p>Vegeta laughed evilly in response. "Well, it's easy enough to prove it," Vegeta grunted, eliciting a frown from the alien.</p><p>"You're a complete fool, Vegeta," Zarbon seethed, clenching his first until his knuckles turned white. "You should <em>never</em> have disobeyed Freeza."</p><p>"I'm done following orders." The Saiyan Prince huffed. "And, I intend to see him groveling in my feet as soon as I make my wish."</p><p>Zarbon widened his eyes as he considered the remark. "You mean, with the Dragon Ball," he murmured, eliciting a huge smirk from the Saiyan in front of him.</p><p>"You're absolutely delusional, Vegeta!" Zarbon grunted, eyeing the Prince deep into his black eyes. "Freeza already <em>has</em> four of them. It won't take long until we find the rest!"</p><p>"You're all blind without your scouters!" Vegeta boasted, his proud smirk still upon his features. "My power has increased immensely, and I no longer need those foolish devices."</p><p>"You're being absurd, Vegeta." Zarbon snipped, coldly. "It doesn't matter how strong you think you are. You are nothing compared to Freeza."</p><p>Vegeta curled his mouth into a snarl, the rumbling of his growl intensifying inside his chest. "Dodoria told me everything about Planet Vegeta! <em>I know the truth!</em> I know that Freeza feared the Saiyan race!"</p><p>"And now they are <em>all</em> dead, Vegeta." Zarbon teased, his smug grin appearing on his pastel green complexion.</p><p>"<em><strong>I'm</strong></em><em> not dead! And Freeza will pay for everything he has done!" </em>The Saiyan Prince roared, angrily.</p><p>"Well, we will see," Zarbon said slyly, and in a blink of an eye, he flew straight at the Saiyan warrior, his closed fist prepared to uppercut Vegeta. However, to Zarbon's surprise, Vegeta was able to catch his fist, blocking the hit.</p><p>Vegeta snickered devilishly at Zarbon's reaction, before yanking the alien roughly by his hand and tossing him meters away into the sky. Zarbon managed to regain his balance, stopping in mid-air and returning, full speed towards Vegeta. The alienoid man tried to blast a huge energy ball towards Vegeta, but the Saiyan Prince managed to dodge it effortlessly, sending the powerful ball far away from them. The energy ball hit the ground, creating a huge explosion with the impact.</p><p>Bulma was rolled across the ground, unintentionally avoiding getting hit, thanks to the blasting explosions. She glanced up at the sky, noticing that the two men were still fighting. She crawled back towards the edge of the rock she had been watching the whole fight before. Vegeta was really giving Zarbon a challenge, being able to easily avoid any of Zarbon's attacks. Vegeta was so strong he seemed invincible.</p><p><em>Well, he definitely can handle that all by himself</em>, she thought to herself, while watching Vegeta hit the handsome man with a powerful kick right into his sharp jawline, making Zarbon collapse onto the ground.</p><p>Vegeta laughed until he was breathless as he reached the ground. "Well, I think I made my point, Zarbon."</p><p>Bulma watched Zarbon rising to his knees, noticeably tired from their fight. She narrowed her eyes to see him properly, noticing that along with gasping for air, the handsome alien was <em>actually</em> laughing.</p><p>Vegeta smirk disappeared from his face, also noticing the laugh from his enemy.</p><p>"I have to admit that I'm impressed, Vegeta," Zarbon's warm voice echoed through the atmosphere. He turned around, glaring at Vegeta over his shoulder.</p><p>Vegeta watched as Zarbon rose from the ground, staring at him seriously. "Don't tell me you're holding back, Zarbon," Vegeta sneered, tauntingly.</p><p>"So, you figured it out," Zarbon purred, his silky voice full of confidence. "It's time to show you my true power."</p><p>"<em>Let's see it!"</em> Vegeta retorted back, his smug smirk still on his lips.</p><p>Bulma was rendered slack-jawed by what she was watching. The handsome alien that was fighting against Vegeta had turned himself into a huge, hideous reptilian monster in a blink of an eye. He was twice his original size, much larger and bulkier than Vegeta.</p><p>Vegeta gasped, surprised as well, not expecting that sudden transformation. He didn't have the time to dodge the knee he received burrowing painfully into his stomach from the greenish monster.</p><p>"Now, I will make you suffer," Zarbon said, his voice much more gravelling and hoarse than before. The alien quickly punched Vegeta beneath his chin so firmly, that his teeth rattled inside his gums.</p><p>Before Vegeta could collapse onto the ground, Zarbon pulled him by his leg, tossing the Saiyan Prince in the air like he was weightless. While mid-air, Vegeta felt his leg being yanked again, then he was cruelly smashed against the blue grass, the sound of cracking bones clear in his own ears.</p><p>Zarbon grabbed Vegeta from the ground by his hair, eliciting a doleful, hoarse howl from the Saiyan. Before Vegeta could even open his eyes, Zarbon held his head between both his hands, headbutting Vegeta right in the middle of his forehead. He repeated the movement several times, cracking the skin and causing warm blood to stream down the weakening Saiyan Prince's features.</p><p>Zarbon tossed Vegeta in the air one more time. The Saiyan Prince awoke suddenly from the motion and tried to regain his advantage against the alien. He flew straight towards Zarbon, grunting angrily as he approached the greenish monster. However, Zarbon was faster, approaching Vegeta right in mid-air. Vegeta tried to fight back, punching and kicking Zarbon, but it was pointless. The huge alien dodged all his attacks effortlessly.</p><p>In an instant too quick to dodge, Zarbon kicked Vegeta on his stomach, making the Saiyan howl in pain. Before Vegeta could even gasp for air, Zarbon uppercut him again, eliciting another pained howl from the warrior. Vegeta tried to back away from his attacker, but it was in vain. Zarbon reached for him and punched him brutally in the head.</p><p>The pain was so intense that Vegeta couldn't bear it. He fainted in the air before his body dropped down heavily on the ground.</p><p>Bulma couldn't believe what she was witnessing. She had seen Vegeta fight so powerfully against Zarbon before that she felt like he was untouchable. And now, all his strength seemed to be gone. He had fallen, after being beaten brutally by Zarbon.</p><p>Bulma glanced at Vegeta's unconscious body on the ground. He was defenseless now that he had fainted, allowing Zarbon to do anything to him, including killing him.</p><p>Bulma felt her heart aching inside her chest. She couldn't let it happen, she needed to save him. He had saved her before, she needed to come up with something as well.</p><p>"Prepare to meet your Saiyan's comrades in death, Vegeta," Zarbon spat coldly, raising his hand over Vegeta's head, ready to shoot his final killing blast. Bulma widened her eyes, startled. She rose from the ground, revealing herself from the rocks she had been hiding under.</p><p>"<em>Don't kill him!"</em> Bulma screamed with all her might, gaining a frown from the reptilian alien. Zarbon glanced at where the shrill voice was coming from. He finally saw Bulma, standing still, staring at him with her eyes brimming with tears. Zarbon glanced at Vegeta unconscious on the ground, only then realizing what the girl was screaming about.</p><p>Zarbon smirked at Bulma and started to walk slowly towards her.</p><p>"I didn't know you <em>could</em> make friends, Vegeta" murmured Zarbon, getting away from the Saiyan and walking towards Bulma. "So you came to help <em>him</em>? What do you expect to accomplish, you little frail thing?" Zarbon taunted.</p><p>Bulma swallowed hard, taking a step back from the monster coming towards her direction. She could feel his golden gaze scanning her whole body before staring into her eyes inquisitively. Her legs were numb, and she was holding her tears back as much as she could.</p><p>"Don't kill him, p-please," she whimpered, taking a step back. Zarbon glanced over his shoulder at the Saiyan Prince's body laying on the ground. He returned his gaze to Bulma, his amusement printed on his features.</p><p>"How adorable," he murmured, his smirk still upon his face. "I can't dare to believe that during this whole time, Vegeta <em>really</em> managed to make a friend."</p><p>Bulma glanced at Vegeta, her heart aching inside her chest. <em>She couldn't let him die</em>. She needed to think about something.</p><p>"Don't be foolish, pretty girl," Zarbon's voice brought Bulma back to reality. "A monster like him could never care for someone else."</p><p>Bulma frowned at Zarbon, her brows drawing low as an idea occurred to her. Luckily, Vegeta wasn't aware in order to stop her.</p><p>"You want the Dragon Balls, right?" she asked, and Zarbon's smirk disappeared from his lips. He widened his eyes at Bulma, being taken completely off guard by her comment. Noticing his reaction, a small grin spread over her lips.</p><p>"Don't tell me <em>you</em> managed to find one?" Zarbon asked, but before he could continue, Bulma cut him off.</p><p>"If you promise you won't kill him, I'll tell you where the Dragon Ball is," she said carefully, balling her fists up tight at her sides.</p><p>Zarbon diverted his eyes from Bulma, instead gazing at Vegeta. He considered her words for a moment, returning his gaze at the girl in front of him.</p><p>"So, what are you saying is," he responded calmly, his curious gaze fixed on her eyes. "If I don't kill Vegeta, you're willing to give me the location of a Dragon Ball?"</p><p>Bulma nodded her head firmly. "Only if you promise me."</p><p>Zarbon grinned at Bulma while walking towards her, now returning to his former, elegant form. "Don't you worry, girl," he purred warmly to her, ceasing the distance between their bodies. "A gentleman like myself would never lie to a pretty girl like you."</p><p>Zarbon stopped his pace just a few inches away from Bulma. Although he was not in his monstrous form anymore, he stood much taller than her, and the look in his eyes was frightening as well.</p><p>"Well, let's see your part of the deal first," He said, a smirk still upon his face. Bulma nodded quickly, turning on her heels slightly and reaching towards the Dragon Ball hiding behind the pile of rocks. Once she turned to face him again, she could see the sheer excitement alighting in Zarbon's eyes.</p><p>Bulma handed the massive golden sphere to the alien, who took hold of it with one hand effortlessly. She could almost see his mouth salivating.</p><p>"It <em>really is</em> a Dragon Ball. I didn't expect you to actually have one!" Zarbon exclaimed to himself, bringing the Dragon Ball closer to his face.</p><p>Bulma watched him, as he turned his back to her and ventured away with the Dragon Ball. She sighed heavily, knowing that as soon as Vegeta woke up, he would be mad at her, knowing that she exchanged the Dragon Ball for his life. However, before she could think any further about that matter, Zarbon's quick movement caught Bulma off guard. In the next second, Zarbon reached for the Saiyan Prince's body and grabbed Vegeta off of the ground by his left arm.</p><p>Bulma widened her eyes, a knot forming inside her stomach as realization hit her.</p><p>"<em>Hey! What are you doing?!"</em> She screamed to Zarbon, running wildly in direction. <em>"You promised me you wouldn't kill him!"</em></p><p>Zarbon smirked knowingly at her. "Remember, I promised <em>I </em>wouldn't kill him. I never said <em>anything</em> about not taking him to Lord Freeza."</p><p>Bulma stopped her run abruptly as she gasped for air, his words echoing through her mind.</p><p>"Fr-Frezza…?" she whimpered, her whole body feeling numb as she watched the alien taking off from the ground while still dangling Vegeta by his left arm.</p><p>"Your help will be much appreciated," Zarbon murmured slyly at Bulma, seconds before he blasted full speed into the sky, disappearing from her sight, along with Vegeta's unconscious body.</p><p>Bulma dropped to her knees on the ground, gasping out for air. Her mind was spinning as she thought about what she had done.</p><p>"They… now have <em>five</em> Dragon Balls," she moaned hopelessly under her breath, her whole body trembling with the very idea. "They'll kill him, too," she whispered, bracing herself as she realized that she had doomed Vegeta as well. She was only trying to save him, but instead, she had offered him to a fate worse than death.</p><p>"No… no…" Bulma whimpered, feeling her cheeks growing damp with the warm tears that streamed down her face. She was breathing so loudly and panicked that it was almost impossible for her to think coherently.</p><p>"<em>Stupid Bulma!</em>" she yelled, as her nails dug into both of her arms sharply, as she still gripped herself tightly. She cried out loudly, feeling both ashamed and scared by her own actions. Vegeta was beyond being her friend, but he had saved her, a few times, actually. Furthermore, he was the best chance of defeating Freeza until Goku's arrival. <em>She couldn't let Vegeta die</em>. She needed to help him, even if <em>she </em>herself had to rescue him from Freeza's grasp.</p><p>Bulma rose from the ground, rubbing her tears away with the back of her hands as a shuddering inhale of breath filled her lungs, emboldening her. She reached for her vest pocket, grabbing her Dragon Radar from it. She clicked the top button, scanning the green map that appeared on the screen. She noticed a green dot beeping away, toward the direction of four more dots. It was Zarbon holding the Dragon Ball. She zoomed the map out, searching for another singular dot beeping a few miles away from her location.</p><p>She held the radar tightly in her hand, knowing that if she was going to save Vegeta, she would need her friend's help.</p><hr/><p>Krillin and Gohan were sitting at the table inside the Capsule Corp. accommodations Bulma had set for them. Neither of them were eating or talking. They were just absently looking at the Dragon Ball resting on the floor near the table.</p><p>Krillin had managed to bring the Dragon Ball with him after his encounter with Master Guru. He had left Dende there, knowing that he was safer with the Eldest Namekian and his bodyguard, Nail, than with him and his Earthling friends.</p><p>However, he didn't expect to find Gohan moaning on the ground, after being brutally beaten by Vegeta, neither being told that Vegeta had kidnapped Bulma, only to use her to fix her Dragon Ball radar; which she had broken on purpose to save Gohan's life.</p><p>A few days have passed since the incident with Vegeta, and although Krillin was desperate to bring Gohan to see Master Guru so that he could unleash his hidden powers, he wasn't sure he could just leave the Dragon Ball behind. For that matter, Vegeta now had a Dragon Ball radar at his disposal.</p><p>Krillin glanced at the boy in front of him. Gohan had a sorrowful expression upon his face. He had been blaming himself for what had happened with Bulma.</p><p>"Gohan, you don't need to worry so much," Krillin murmured, making Gohan raise his eyes towards his bald friend. "I know Bulma did what she did to protect you. She can take care of herself, you know?"</p><p>Gohan frowned, diverting his gaze from Krillin's. "But what if he's hurt her?" he asked bitterly, eliciting a hard swallow from his friend. "What if he waited until Bulma fixed her radar, and then he killed her afterwards?" He stared back hopelessly at Krillin, who only sighed heavily.</p><p>"Gohan, I've known Bulma for a very long time," Krillin said softly, a shy smile upon his lips. "And, one thing I know for sure, is that Bulma is very good at getting herself into trouble."</p><p>Gohan blinked, bewildered. "And…?"</p><p>"And…" Krillin continued, grinning cheerfully at the kid. "She is also very good at finding a way to get <em>out</em> of it."</p><p>Gohan sighed, placing his chin over the palm of his hand, thoughtfully. "I hope you're right."</p><p>They both fell into mutual silence for a while. Suddenly, a cracking sound made both of them jump out of their seats. They stared at each other, trying to understand where the noise came from. Then, they heard it again.</p><p>"Someone's knocking on the door," Gohan muttered under his breath, already in a fighting stance. Krillin nodded at his words.</p><p>"I-I don't think it's Vegeta," Krillin said, trying to sense who's energy was. He followed Gohan's movement as the boy reached for the door and opened it. Krillin was slack-jawed as Bulma bursted inside the room.</p><p>"<em>Bulma!"</em> both Gohan and Krillin shouted out aloud. Gohan ran towards Bulma and wrapped his arms around her neck, then was hugged back by her.</p><p>"Gohan, I'm happy to see you're all right!" she exclaimed warmly, patting her hand on his bowl-cut. "I see you found a Dragon Ball, Krillin," she said, glancing at her bald friend, who smiled at her proudly.</p><p>"Yeah!" Krillin said, taking a few steps closer to his friends, with a proud look upon his face. He noticed that Bulma's clothes were all torn apart. She had bruises all over her skin, and her blue, short hair seemed disheveled. To put it bluntly, Bulma had suffered a lot under Vegeta's hand. Krillin clenched his teeth at that thought. <em>That bastard</em>, he thought to himself.</p><p>"How did you escape from Vegeta?" Gohan's trembling voice brought Krillin back to reality. He glanced at Bulma again, also waiting for her explanation.</p><p>Bulma sighed heavily, gazing at both of the guys for a moment before she opened her mouth.</p><p>"That's why I'm here," she murmured, her hands trembling aside her body. "<em>We need to help Vegeta!</em>" she shouted bravely, her eyes filled with determination.</p><p>Krillin and Gohan stared at each other, bewildered. Both of them were trying to understand what Bulma had just said.</p><hr/><p><strong>A/N:</strong> <strong>Thanks so much for everyone that reviewed, left kudos, followed, favorited and read the fic! I'm happy to see that many of you are already hooked on the story! I'll try to update the fic every week!</strong></p><p>
  <strong>This chapter was beta'd by RoyalBlueRoses! She just updated her DBZ fic as well!</strong>
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  <strong>Reviews are always welcome and much appreciated! Thank you so much in advance to anyone who takes the time to write one!</strong>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5 – Rescue Plan</h2></a>
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    <p><em><strong>Author:</strong></em> Becky L. Sly</p><p><em><strong>Title: </strong></em>What If: Namek</p><p><em><strong>Genre: </strong></em>Romance/Adventure</p><p><em><strong>Rating: </strong></em>T (there will be cusswords, violence and some non-explicit sexual situation that might not be appropriated for all readers)</p><p>
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    <strong>I just own the plot. All characters belong to Funimation, Toei Animation, and Akira Toriyama.</strong>
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  <strong>Chapter 5 – Rescue Plan</strong>
</p><p>"You just handed the Dragon Ball to <em>him</em>?" Krillin asked Bulma, bewildered. During the last ten minutes, she had told him and Gohan the story of what happened to her while she was with Vegeta. Bulma frowned at her friend's remark; crossing her arms over her chest angrily.</p><p>"That means they now have <em>five </em>Dragon Balls," Gohan pointedly stated; eliciting a sharp nod from Krillin.</p><p>"Well, I <em>didn't</em> have much of a choice, Krillin!" she huffed at him, annoyed. "Zarbon was going to kill Vegeta before my very eyes!"</p><p>"And… tell me again, <em>why</em> killing Vegeta was bad?" The bald man murmured, raising his eyebrow. His eyes widened as he noticed the face of his blue-haired friend becoming red.</p><p>"<em>How could you say such a thing!</em>" She hissed, her hands gesticulating angrily in the air. "I <em>just</em> told you he saved <em>my</em> life from those weird freaking aliens!"</p><p>"Bulma, Vegeta is not the type of guy that is particularly nice," Gohan said under his breath, taking the attention of Bulma, who glanced at the young boy. "Back on Earth, he killed his own comrade with no remorse, just because he disobeyed his orders."</p><p>"Not to mention, it's because of <strong>him</strong> that we're even here on Namek," Krillin murmured seriously, breathing heavily. "Bulma, did you forget that he killed all of our friends, <em>including</em> Yamcha?"</p><p>Bulma scrunched up her nose angrily, her eyes filled with determination. "I haven't forgotten <em>that</em>, Krillin," she said bitterly. "That's why I'm telling you guys that Vegeta is our best chance to gather the Dragon Balls,"</p><p>Krillin and Gohan glanced at each other dubiously, neither of them seemed convinced enough to help Bulma on her rescue mission.</p><p>"We already found a Dragon Ball, Bulma," Gohan spoke up hesitantly, glancing at the woman in front of him. "We can just wait until my father arrives!"</p><p>Bulma huffed at his comment. "Gohan, do you think you and Krillin can handle this Freeza guy all by yourselves, until Goku's here?" she asked cholericly, making the bowl-cut haired boy swallow hard at her words. "I witnessed what Vegeta is capable of, and especially what Freeza's men are capable of. He's our best shot to survive and gather the dragon balls!" She stomped her foot angrily, crossing her arms again. "Besides, we just need to fool him until Goku arrives."</p><p>"But what makes you think Vegeta will help us in the first place?" Krillin snorted at Bulma. "For all we know, he'll kill us all the moment he no longer has any use for us!"</p><p>Bulma sighed heavily, then paused for a moment before speaking. "Guys, I know this must sound crazy, but I know he won't kill us," she murmured softly, gazing seriously into both of her friend's eyes. "If he wanted to kill me, he would've done it. There were a million times he had the chance, and the <em>motive</em>. But he didn't."</p><p>Krillin stared curiously at Bulma's expression, noticing her soft tone as she continued to talk.</p><p>"Vegeta is… like this big, angry lion that roars and snaps at everyone in sight... but," she murmured absently, running her finger through her blue hair as she spoke tenderly about the Saiyan Prince. "Deep inside, he's… hurt..." she widened her eyes, staring intensely at Krillin. "He's like a lion with a thorn in his paw, and he needs our help!"</p><p>Krillin sighed heavily, walking towards Bulma before placing his hands gently over her shoulders. "Bulma, follow me on this, ok?" He murmured, and Bulma nodded at his words.</p><p>"No man is worth all this effort," the bald man muttered seriously, looking straight into her big, blue eyes. "<em>Especially</em> Vegeta!"</p><p>Bulma felt her cheeks burning furiously as her anger boiled up inside of her chest. The very next second, she cracked the palm of her hand right across Krillin's bald head.</p><p>"<em>You jerk!</em>" she yelled, annoyed, watching Krillin as he staggered back away from her. "<em>I'm telling you he's our best chance!</em>"</p><p>"<em>You are out of your mind, Bulma!"</em> Krillin shouted back at her, one of his hands massaging the injured area of his bald head. "If Vegeta kills you, I'm <em>not</em> going to wish you back!" He cried out, bitterly. Both adults stared at each other angrily while Gohan was watching, baffled.</p><p>"<em>That's fine!"</em> Bulma broke the silence, stomping angrily across the floor, reaching for the Capsule Corp. accommodation's door. "If you're too cowardly to help me, I'll do it myself!" Bulma hissed, while grabbing the bag on the floor and some capsules; not noticing Gohan approaching Krillin.</p><p>"Krillin, why did she hit you?" Gohan asked under his breath, as his bald friend was still massaging the red area on his forehead.</p><p>"Because, she's crazy!" Krillin hissed in annoyance at Gohan, who had his eyebrow raised. "I'll explain it to you when you're older."</p><p>"Okay…?" Gohan said hesitantly, looking over at Bulma in time to see her holding the door handle.</p><p>Bulma felt someone on her heels, and when she glanced back, she noticed Gohan was right behind her.</p><p>"Bulma… are you sure about Vegeta?" Gohan hesitantly asked, his concern carved into his young features. She sighed heavily, remembering the encounter that Gohan and Vegeta had a few days ago. She wondered what had made her slightly change her mind about the Saiyan Prince. Regardless, she knew exactly what she needed to do.</p><p>"Yes," she murmured softly, kneeling on the floor, her face level with his. "I know this is crazy, but we need to help him," she whispered to the young boy. Gohan considered the weight of her words for a second, before glancing back at Krillin.</p><p>"We gotta help her!" Gohan said, earning a big smile from Bulma. Krillin's eyes widened at his comment. "We need to keep fighting until my father arrives!"</p><p>"But-" Krillin blurted out, but Gohan cut him off quickly.</p><p>"If Bulma thinks we should help Vegeta, I trust her," Gohan said with determination, clenching his fists. "After all, Vegeta has the same common enemy as us. And to be frank; we have no way to win against Freeza alone"</p><p>Bulma felt her heart warming up inside her chest. She reached for Gohan, then placed an exuberant kiss upon his right cheek, making the young boy blush fervently.</p><p>"<em>Muah!</em> Gohan, you are such an adorable kid!" she exclaimed cheerfully, patting the boy's hair softly. Krillin sighed, from the other side of the room, feeling defeated.</p><p>"I can't believe I'm going to say this, but let's go rescue… <em>Vegeta.</em>" he mumbled in a deadpan voice, dragging his feet as he walked towards his friends. "I hope you have planned this whole thing out, Bulma."</p><p>Bulma smiled at him with satisfaction, holding the door handle on one hand, and the Dragon Ball radar on the other.</p><p>"Don't worry, I'll work out the details on the way there."</p><hr/><p>Bulma was holding the Dragon Ball radar tightly in her hand, intently watching the green map while Gohan was carrying her in midair, flying along with Krillin at full speed towards Freeza's location. They were following the trail to the five green dots beeping on the map.</p><p>They flew in silence for a while, their gaze fixed straight upon the path they were following. Once, Bulma swore she heard Krillin mumbling something like<em> 'I'm never gonna get a girlfriend',</em> but she didn't bother to ask him about it. Her mind was completely focused on finding the Dragon Balls that would lead them to Vegeta's location.</p><p>"Okay, guys," she said suddenly, her voice slightly muffled by the hair whipping across her face. Krillin and Gohan turned their attention onto her as she spoke. "We're getting closer to the Dragon Balls," she said, showing them the flashing green dots on the radar as they approached their next location.</p><p>"What's the plan, Bulma?" Krillin inquired seriously, his eyes locked onto his friend.</p><p>"It's very simple. We search for Vegeta, rescue him, take back the Dragon Balls then escape," she said bluntly.</p><p>Krillin rolled his eyes and diverted his gaze from hers. "Sure, like <em>that</em> would work," he murmured bitterly under his breath. Not much later, they finally saw their destination. It was a huge alien ship, and by the increasing proximity of the beeping dots on the map; the Dragon Balls were inside.</p><p>"It must be Freeza's ship," Gohan observed as he hovered over Bulma's head. She nodded back silently, in agreement with his observation.</p><p>"Maybe we should sneak inside," Krillin said, glancing at Gohan. "Vegeta is probably there... and also Freeza."</p><p>They lowered down towards the ground, finding an inconspicuous place to hide behind the cover of some rocks. Krillin peeked over the edge of a rock to get a better view of the area.</p><p>"There aren't many guards around here," he whispered, warily.</p><p>"Freeza's minions are probably looking for the Dragon Balls," Bulma said as she also peeked over the edge of the rock. Gohan's eyes widened at Bulma's remark.</p><p>"Oh no!" He whimpered, gaining the attention of his friends. "We left the Dragon Ball behind, all alone!"</p><p>Bulma sighed. "Don't worry, Gohan," she said reassuringly, placing a hand over his shoulder. "They can't locate them without a radar like mine," she said timidly, bringing the radar close to her chest. "The Dragon Ball is safe."</p><p>"How can you be so sure that Vegeta is in there?" Krillin whispered suspiciously, making Bulma glance back at him quickly.</p><p>"...I can't feel his energy."</p><p>"He's in there!" She said, confidently. "Call it a woman's intuition."</p><p>"<strong>I</strong> can sense him," Gohan affirmed, his eyes closed he scanned the ship using his other senses to feel for Vegeta. "His power is low, but it's slowly recovering".</p><p>"See? What did I tell you?" Bulma poked Krillin's arm with her elbow, a smug grin on her lips.</p><p>"Fine. Now, the only issue is to pass by those guys over there without being detected... " Krillin said, the first task distracting Gohan and Bulma from their worries. Gohan crawled next to Krillin, also finding a place to peek at Freeza's ship.</p><p>"They don't seem to be that powerful," the boy muttered, his eyes locked on the enemy in front of them. "I think we can beat them, Krillin," he looked to his bald friend; his eyes filled with confidence.</p><p>Bulma watched as both walked stealthily towards the two guards in front of the ship. Luckily, Gohan's keen instincts were right. With a single, almost coordinated punch, they both dispatched the guards effortlessly, then hid their unconscious bodies behind some rocks. When the coast was clear, Krillin waved to Bulma to come, and she ran towards her friends in a hurry.</p><p>"Here, Bulma," Krillin said, while handing Bulma one of the blasters one of the guards had been using. "Maybe you'll need it." She grabbed the weapon and held it awkwardly in her hands, not sure how to use the alien equipment.</p><p>"Let's enter the ship," Gohan said lowly, already running over the ramp, followed by Bulma and Krillin. Once inside Freeza's ship, they quickly found a place to hide behind some metal crates stacked near the entrance.</p><p>"Right, we'd better split up now, that's our best chance to find Vegeta," Bulma whispered slowly while staring at the boys. "Then we'll need to find the Dragon Balls on the ship."</p><p>"But wait," Krillin whispered sharply, grabbing Bulma's wrist before she could go. "How will we know if one of us found Vegeta?"</p><p>Bulma frowned at his question; but Gohan was faster than her and spoke up.</p><p>"Maybe we could just make a sound, like a signal or something..?"</p><p>Krillin raised his eyebrow. "So, if one of us finds Vegeta first, maybe we could just blast at the ship?"</p><p>"Sounds like a plan," Bulma exclaimed, rising from the ground and walking slowly towards the exit door, carefully hiding her body stealthily against the wall.</p><p>"I think we need a better plan," Krillin muttered, but was ignored by Bulma who was watching the hallway for any more guards. <em>I really don't understand women</em>, the bald man thought to himself. "Alright, let's go Gohan!"</p><p>The boys followed her movements, and within an instant, they split paths and began the search for the Saiyan Prince.</p><p>Bulma was walking carefully through the large, metallic corridor; her entire body on high alert for any sound or movement coming towards her direction. She was still holding the blaster Krillin had handed to her, but she was only going to use it as her last resort.</p><p>"Now, if <em>I</em> were atwo faced;yet handsome alien, where would I hide Vegeta...?" She said quietly to herself, carefully scanning the area for any clue of where Vegeta might be. Suddenly, the startling realization hit her that she was all alone, in a ship with aliens that could fly, shoot lasers, and just tried to kill her and her friends. <em>What was I thinking? Why would I do all this for Vegeta?</em></p><p>She heard some steps coming towards her so she quickly concealed herself behind a large column, holding her breath, trying her best not to quiver as the aliens passed by her.</p><p>"<em>Can you believe Zarbon captured Vegeta?"</em> One of them spoke, making Bulma's heart tighten inside her chest.</p><p>"<em>I don't know why he brought him here,"</em> the other one said. <em>"As soon as he wakes up from the healing chamber, he'll kill us all!"</em></p><p>She heard the first one snort, then reply, <em>"Don't worry. Freeza wants to talk to him first."</em></p><p>As soon as they passed her, she tore herself away from the column; continuing her search for Vegeta. <em>Good, at least he's not dead yet</em>, she thought to herself; finding a sense of relief filling her heart. Now she just needed to find the healing chamber those aliens spoke about. She followed the direction they came from, hoping she was following the right path. Suddenly, she heard a voice that made her stop in place, a cold shiver running down her spine</p><p>"<em>Tell me once he's ready,"</em> Zarbon said, his voice resonating in close proximity to where she currently was. As soon as she recognized his voice, she jumped into an open door, not even bothering to look where she'd just entered. Fortunately, it was only an empty room. She kneeled on the floor, concealing herself in the shadows. Nearby the entrance she saw Zarbon passing by, in his more elegant form. She swallowed hard, concluding that he was probably talking about Vegeta.</p><p>She stood up slowly and reached for the door handle, taking a moment to peek through the crack to see if it was safe yet to go. Noting that there was no one around, she followed the way Zarbon came.</p><p>It was a large door, with a sign writing in an alien language above it. She breathed heavily, holding the blaster firmly on her hands and opening the door.</p><p>She entered the room, noticing that it was filled with some variety of tanks, and computers. She observed how utterly pristinely clean it was, making her conclude that it was probably an infirmary.</p><p>"Maybe these are the healing chambers," she murmured under her breath, taking a few more steps into the room. Bulma heard a sound coming from one of the tanks and approached it's source. Once she reached it, she noticed that it was filled with water and inside of it was Vegeta, still unconscious; breathing with the assistance of a ventilator.</p><p>"Ve-Vegeta," she whimpered, her heart aching from the sight of him. However, before she could think any further, the hackles rose on the back of her neck as a voice cracked behind her.</p><p>"<em>What are you doing here?"</em></p><p>Bulma turned on her heels to face the purple, yellow polka-dotted, long-headed alien that was staring at her. Bulma's eyes widened, her heartbeat pulsing in her throat. She tried to step back; but felt weak as her limbs grew numb.</p><p>"No-nothing…" she stammered, taking a step back again, feeling the healing chamber's control on her back.</p><p>The purple alien grit his teeth. "You're an intruder!" he hissed. Bulma swallowed hard, trying to moisten her mouth before speaking.</p><p>"You stay back!" she exclaimed, determined, raising her blaster up. "I have this and I'm not afraid to use it!"</p><p>The purple alien glanced at her, surprised, tilting his head curiously at her. He snickered devilishly.</p><p>"You're not even holding it right," he sneered, slowly walking towards her direction. Bulma felt her heart racing frantically like a trapped bird in a cage, and squeezed her eyes shut, pulling the blaster closer to her chest.</p><p>A blasting sound echoed through the room, and within the next second, Bulma heard a body dropping heavily to the floor. She opened her eyes, immediately realizing that she had somehow actually <em>managed</em> to hit the purple alien.</p><p>She examined the inert body on the floor with her eyes for signs of life, making sure he was no longer a threat.</p><p>"Told you I wasn't afraid to use it," she said proudly to herself, leaving the blaster on the floor and taking her time to inspect the controls of Vegeta's healing chamber.</p><p>"Now, how do I shut this down?" she mused, scratching her chin while inspecting the panel analytically. Some buttons were beeping and glowing at her, but all the writing was alien to her. She sighed, glancing at Vegeta's face through the glass. He had a frown settled upon his features, and she wondered if somehow he was in pain.</p><p>She glanced back at the control panel and pushed the red, beeping button. She was startled as she heard a humming sound coming from the chamber, then the water surrounding Vegeta's body began to drain out. Once the water was all out, the door of the healing chamber made an error sound, and Bulma jumped to the side to let it open properly.</p><p>Vegeta opened his eyes slowly, his vision blurred as the light caught his eyes. He didn't remember where he was, but he could feel that his whole body was sore as if he had just been through an intense fight. His gaze finally met her big, beaming, blue eyes.</p><p>Realization suddenly hit him, making him remember everything that happened. Zarbon had defeated him and he had just exited the healing chamber, and somehow the Earth woman was there as well.</p><p>"Woman," he hissed huskily at Bulma, stepping outside the healing chamber. "Where's the Dragon Ball?"</p><p>Bulma raised her brows incredulously at his question. <em>Sure, that would be the first thing he would ask me</em>, she thought.</p><p>"Well… that's kind of what… we're here for… you know?" she mumbled under her breath, noticing how his obsidian eyes became even more darker as he heard her words.</p><p>"What?!" he asked angrily, closing the distance between her as he stared at her with deathly eyes. "Did you let <em>him</em> find the Dragon Ball?!"</p><p>Bulma scrunched up her nose angrily, stabbing a finger into his chest armor.</p><p>"Listen up, <em>your</em> <em>Highness</em>," she murmured wryly, making Vegeta stop his movements, wide-eyeing the woman in front of him. "You could show me a little gratitude! I'm here to <em>help</em> you, you dumbass!" she sneered, her gaze fixed on his. "I even killed a man!" she hissed at him angrily, poking him harshly in his chest as she snapped at him.</p><p>Vegeta glanced to his side, noticing the dead body lying on the floor. He returned his gaze to Bulma, a scowl still upon his face.</p><p>"If you are talking about Appule, that's not that impressive."</p><p>Bulma snorted angrily at him, but before she could retort back to his comment, Vegeta raised one hand and blasted at the ship wall, leaving only a short time for Bulma to find cover, in order to prevent getting hit.</p><p>"<em>You asshole!</em>" she yelled at him. "<em>You bastard, idiot, son of a bitc-</em>"</p><p>Before she could curse him even more, Vegeta grabbed Bulma by her waist and pulled her close against his body, moving them both behind the healing chamber. Bulma grabbed his arm, trying to free herself from him. He only pulled her even closer, her body glued to his.</p><p>"What the fuc-", she tried to complain, but Vegeta covered her mouth to muffle her ramblings.</p><p>"<em>Don't move,</em>" he whispered in her ear, feeling her body tense up under his grasp. Bulma froze; stilling to hear the footfalls of others entering the room.</p><p>"<em>He's gone!"</em> Zarbon's voice broke the silence. <em>"He must have flown off!"</em> Although Bulma couldn't see, she was sure he was looking at the hole Vegeta had created in the ship's wall. <em>Smart bastard</em>, she thought to herself.</p><p>"<em>So, go after him!</em>" she heard another sharp, angry voice speaking with Zarbon. <em>"Go now! Do you hear me, Zarbon?!"</em></p><p>"<em>Y-yes, Lord Freeza!"</em> Zarbon said, before quickly flying away. Bulma froze in place with the very notion that Freeza was in the same room. Not long after that, she heard the metal door opening and shutting again, leaving Bulma and Vegeta alone again, in dead silence.</p><p>Once Freeza and Zarbon were gone, Vegeta freed Bulma from his grasp, allowing her to turn on her heels and stare at him.</p><p>"You heard them coming," she stated softly, gazing into his obsidian eyes.</p><p>"Yes," he hissed bluntly. "And they would have found us, if I didn't stop your dirty mouth, woman." Bulma narrowed her eyes at him.</p><p>"Well, maybe you could give some heads up before you blow the whole ship!" However, before they could continue their arguing, Vegeta sensed someone else coming towards their direction.</p><p>"You didn't come alone?" he asked her with annoyance, making Bulma blink blankly at his question. However, before she could ask him anything, both Krillin and Gohan appeared.</p><p>"Bulma…" Krillin called for her quietly, followed by Gohan. Vegeta and Bulma revealed themselves from behind the healing chamber, startling the Earthlings in front of them.</p><p>Krillin took a step back away from the Saiyan Prince, his eyes wide as he noticed the warrior walking toward his direction. "I-I see you found Ve-Vegeta."</p><p>Bulma nodded, reaching for her friends before the Saiyan. "Did you guys hear the blasting?"</p><p>"Yeah, that's why we came here," Gohan murmured, glancing at the smoking hole in the wall Vegeta created.</p><p>"Why are the other Earthlings here, woman?" Vegeta grabbed Bulma's wrist, making her turn to face him. However, she noticed that the grip on her pulse wasn't as harsh as it used to be. She glanced up at his face, finding his eyebrow twitching, his forehead glistening from the sweat running down his temple.</p><p>Vegeta freed her wrist and placed both of his hands on his knees, his entire body trembling as Bulma could hear him growling in pain under his breath. She glanced at Gohan and Krillin, who shrugged at her, both of them surprised by the Saiyan Prince's behavior.</p><p>"Vegeta..." Bulma breathed, taking a small step closer to him, placing her hand softly on his shoulder. "Are you alright?"</p><p>Vegeta tossed her hand away, straightening "I'm fine, don't be foolish, woman." He walked past them, heading towards the exit of the infirmary. He glanced over his shoulder at the Earthlings. "Now, we'll gather the Dragon Balls from Freeza."</p><p>The Earthlings glance at each other, considering for a while what Vegeta had just told them. Not noticing any of them making a move, the Saiyan Prince turned on his heels to glare at them.</p><p>"<em>Now!</em>" He growled angrily, making them jump in place. "Kakarot's brat and the baldy," he snapped, pointing at the two. "You two create a distraction on the ship while the woman and I search for the Dragon Balls." He said, raising his gaze to find Bulma's blue eyes.</p><p>"Did you bring the damn locator?" Vegeta asked Bulma, who nodded hesitantly, searching for the Dragon Ball radar in her vest pocket. Once she found it, she showed it to Vegeta, eliciting a grin from the Saiyan.</p><p>"Good. Now, start moving!" Vegeta demanded, turning his back on them and heading outside of the room. Bulma jumped at his remark and quickly followed him, noticing from her peripheral that Gohan and Krillin headed the opposite way; probably trying to find a way to create a big distraction.</p><p>Bulma reached for Vegeta, noticing that despite the fact they had to gather the Dragon Balls under Freeza's nose, he walked briskly through the corridor. She tried to walk closer to him, almost grabbing his shoulder to secure herself.</p><p>"If you keep walking like that, you'll step on my heel, woman," Vegeta hissed under his breath, glancing at Bulma over his shoulder. She startled slightly with his comment, bringing her hand close to her chest.</p><p>"So-Sorry," she whimpered softly. "I'm just a bit nervous."</p><p>Vegeta huffed at her. "Can you locate the Dragon Balls?"</p><p>Bulma swallowed hard, bringing the radar closer to her face. She analyzed the beeping dots on the green map. "I think they're close."</p><p>"They're probably on the bridge," Vegeta murmured to himself, making Bulma glance at him with wide eyes.</p><p>"That's not… where Freeza would be…?" She murmured quietly, only noticing Vegeta nod.</p><p>"That's why we'll need the distraction," he said bluntly. Not a second after Vegeta's words came out his mouth, they both heard a big explosion coming from where Gohan and Krillin went. Soon, a huge smoke cloud covered the atmosphere around them, Bulma covering her mouth to muffle her coughing.</p><p>"That must be them," she rasped to Vegeta, her eyes burning from the smoke. Suddenly, she heard footsteps coming from their direction, but before she could see what was coming, she felt her body being pulled away and in an instant, she felt Vegeta pressing her body against a column, trying to conceal them from Freeza's minions that were running down the hall.</p><p>She gazed up at him, realizing that both of his hands were on each side of her body, his face turned to the side to observe the commotion. She could feel her heart beating rapidly inside her chest as she panted, feeling uneasy with the proximity of their bodies.</p><p>"<em>It's Vegeta!</em>" Freeza yelled sharply through the corridor as he passed by Vegeta and Bulma's hiding spot. "<em>Find him before he leaves the ship!</em>"</p><p>Bulma startled under Vegeta's hold, recognizing the sharp voice of Freeza. She grabbed his left arm involuntarily, shrouding herself even more, trying to hide behind the Saiyan figure. Soon, the commotion faded, leaving them to conclude that Freeza and everyone else had headed towards the sound of the explosion.</p><p>Vegeta freed Bulma from his hold and continued his walk towards the bridge, quickly followed by her. They finally reached their destination, and Vegeta pressed the button next to the huge metal door to open it. Once the door opened, Bulma could see clear as day, five huge Dragon Balls resting on the bare floor.</p><p>"Why would he leave them here unprotected...?" Bulma wondered aloud, walking closer to them.</p><p>"He doesn't think anyone would attempt to steal them from him," he said with a huge smirk carved upon his lips, his gaze locked on the golden spheres.</p><p>However, when Vegeta tried to reach for them, Bulma noticed his hand trembling once again. She glanced at his face again, realizing the painful expression he had. He was sweating again, his eyebrows twitching as he stepped back from the Dragon Balls, trying to find balance.</p><p>"Vegeta…" Bulma spoke softly, reaching for him, but before she could ask him what was going on, Gohan and Krillin appeared in the room.</p><p>"<em>Quickly, Gohan!</em>" Krillin yelled, opening the huge metal door. "<em>We can hide here!" </em>He continued, crushing the controls next to the door as soon as the boy passed through it. Finally, their gaze met Bulma's. "Bulma! Great, we found you guys!"</p><p>"Krillin, what happened?!" Bulma asked him, in an exasperated voice.</p><p>"We.. blew up the infirmary…back there!" Krillin said, out of breath. "We had to outwit the alien guys that were shooting at u-" Before Krillin could continue, the Earthlings heard another blast explode in the room. When they glanced at Vegeta, they saw he had just shot a huge blast, creating a hole into the ship's front window.</p><p>"<em>Throw the damn Dragon Balls!</em>" Vegeta cried out at them angrily, pointing to the hole he'd just made. Bulma ran towards one of the Dragon Balls and gave it to Vegeta, who tossed it miles away through the broken glass.</p><p>"Guys, throw the Dragon Balls!" Bulma yelled at Gohan and Krillin, who were baffled by their attitude.</p><p>"But… why?" Krillin asked, gawking. Vegeta glared at the bald man.</p><p>"<em>You idiot!</em>" Vegeta snapped angrily, grabbing another Dragon Ball from Bulma's hand and throwing it as hard as he could out of the ship. "We don't have time to spare here! <em>They will find us all!</em>"</p><p>"<em>Over here!" </em>They all heard a voice coming outside the bridge. Krillin felt a shiver going down his spine and he heard more steps coming towards the metal door. The minions were trying to open it, but, due to Krillin's smart idea of destroying the door's controls, they weren't able to do it.</p><p>"<em>Gohan! Throw them all!</em>" Krillin yelled, exasperated, grabbing a Dragon Ball from the pile and throwing through the glass as hard as he could. They heard a blast coming from behind the door and before Krillin could think, he grabbed the Dragon Ball radar from Bulma's pocket.</p><p>"Hey!" She yelled at him, in time to hear another blast rocketing towards the door.</p><p>"We need to get out of here!" Gohan yelled, blasting at full speed out of the ship. Krillin followed him, and before Vegeta could fly away leaving Bulma behind, she quickly jumped over his back and embraced him with her legs and arms.</p><p>Vegeta flew out of Freeza's ship just in time before someone blasted the metal door down. He kept flying with Bulma on his back, feeling the woman digging her nails into his broken armor.</p><p>Vegeta kept flying at full speed, his instinct to follow both Gohan and Krillin's ki towards the place they had thrown all five Dragon Balls. He was flying over a vast green lake when his body began to weaken again. His limbs were starting to feel numb, and his eyelids were weighing over his eyes. His vision was getting dizzy as well.</p><p>"Vegeta?" Bulma asked softly next to his ear as soon as she realized they were flying farther downwards. "Vegeta?!" Her voice was frantic as she noticed the lake coming closer to them.</p><p>"VEGETA!" She screamed in agony as they both fell freely towards the lake. Their bodies collapsed into the water, the cold surrounding them completely. She felt herself drawing away from the Saiyan's, as he was drowning, unconscious towards the bottom. Bulma reached for his right arm, trying to drag him to the surface. His body was heavy, and she almost let out all her oxygen trying to pull him up.</p><p><em>C'mon Bulma, you can do this!</em> She thought to herself, pulling Vegeta's right arm closer to her body. She swam around him, finding a place under his shoulder to drag him to the surface. She kept swimming until they broke the water, both of them gasping for air.</p><p>Bulma reached the shore, leaving Vegeta's body out of the water as she coughed up water hoarsely. The Saiyan Prince crawled slowly towards her, also gasping for air, before collapsing again on the dirt.</p><p>"What's happening, Vegeta?" Bulma yelled, her hand softly touching his shoulder. He glanced up, his obsidian eyes meeting hers while he breathed heavily, seemingly exhausted.</p><p>"When you were there," he whispered, out of breath. "You shut down the healing chamber manually?"</p><p>Bulma bit her lower lip, suddenly realizing that maybe she was the one responsible for his suddenly weakened state.</p><p>"Yes…", she swallowed hard as he averted his gaze from hers, burying his face in the dirt.</p><p>"Damn it, woman," He grumbled, his voice muffled by the dirt.</p><p>"Vegeta, c'mon," Bulma said, rising from the ground and grabbing his arms, trying to lift him. "We need to find a place where you can rest!"</p><p>"Nonsense!" He hissed angrily, rising to his knees and shoving her hand away. "We need to find the Dragon Balls!"</p><p>Bulma crossed her arms across her chest stubbornly. "Krillin and Gohan are looking for them! They have the Dragon Ball radar." He glanced at her again, his eyes were grave, and his signature scowl was carved into his features.</p><p>"If they use the Dragon Bal-" he hissed in his most threatening voice, but Bulma cut him off.</p><p>"Listen up, tough guy," she snapped, placing a hand over her hip. "You are in condition to fight Zarbon or Freeza looking as trash as you are now!"</p><p>Vegeta widened his eyes at her, continuing to listen to her yells. "Besides, they can't summon the Dragon with only <em>five</em> Dragon Ball, smartass!"</p><p>Vegeta curled his mouth into a snarl as he brows drew low. "We're very full of ourselves today, aren't we, woman?" He murmured huskily, getting up from the ground and walking closer to her. However, his body was so exhausted from the interrupted healing section that he almost lost his balance.</p><p>"Vegeta!" Bulma whimpered, trying to hold him up, her arm placed on his chest for support. He grunted at her, his eyes practically throwing daggers. "We have to hurry up! We'll go to the Capsule Corp. accommodations so I can help you!" she begged him, but he didn't soften his expression.</p><p>Bulma bit her lip as a clever thought came to mind. "There's a Dragon Ball, there," she murmured, noticing Vegeta's rapt attention at the new information. "You can keep an eye on that one."</p><p>Vegeta sighed heavily, before grunting something in frustration. He glanced at Bulma and extended his arm to grasp her waist. "You will not mount me again, woman," he said bitterly, eliciting a frown from Bulma.</p><p>"Can you fly?"</p><p>"Shut up! Grab my damn hand before I change my mind!" He grunted harshly and Bulma sighed heavily, before holding his hand. <em>Such a Princely behavior</em>, she thought as he pulled her against his body and blasted into the sky at high speed.</p><p>"We need to go to the place where you first saw me," she instructed, her voice slightly muffled by the wind whipping through her hair. "Do you remember it?" she asked, and he nodded his head curtly. They continued their flight towards the accommodations, Bulma hoping internally, that they could arrive there before Vegeta's body could collapse again.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>A/N: OMG, I'm so thrilled by your lovely comments and encouragement to keep writing this fic! *blushes hard* Thanks so much for everyone that reviewed, followed, favorited, left kudos and read the fic! Also, I really want to thank the lovely ReadingRose18 for suggesting my fic! You guys should also check her work out: Beauty and The Prince (love the name)! It's a great 3-Year-Gap fic!</strong>
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  <strong>This chapter was beta'd by the amazing RoyalBlueRoses! Check out the A-M-A-Z-I-N-G work she's doing with her Gemini Saga! If you love Vegeta, Raditz, Launch, Bulma and a great Canon-Divergence story, you'll love it! Love, Love, Love!</strong>
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  <strong>Reviews are always welcome and much appreciated! Thank you so much in advance to anyone who takes the time to write one!</strong>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6 – Vegeta's Recovery</h2></a>
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    <p><em><strong>Author:</strong></em> Becky L. Sly</p><p><em><strong>Title: </strong></em>What If: Namek</p><p><em><strong>Genre: </strong></em>Romance/Adventure</p><p><em><strong>Rating: </strong></em>T (there will be cusswords, violence and some non-explicit sexual situation that might not be appropriated for all readers)</p><p>
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    <strong>I just own the plot. All characters belong to Funimation, Toei Animation, and Akira Toriyama.</strong>
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  <strong>Chapter 6 – Vegeta's Recovery</strong>
</p><p>Vegeta was carrying Bulma while flying towards the Capsule Corp. accommodations cave and, even though he was flying, Bulma was worried that they wouldn't get there soon enough. It didn't take long for Bulma to notice that Vegeta was losing his balance while flying; dipping in the air, all while trying to maintain his altitude and speed during flight. The turbulence scared Bulma to the point where she had to wrap her legs firmly around the Saiyan's waist, trying to secure herself.</p><p>Bulma bit her lower lip while glancing at the warrior carrying her. His expression was hard, and she could see his eyebrows twitching, as sweat glistened on his forehead. She sighed heavily, concluding to herself that he was in pain.</p><p>Bulma glanced at the path they were following, feeling a little relief in her heart when she was able to recognize the hills ahead of them. Her face brightened cheerfully when she saw the cave approaching them.</p><p>"We're almost there, Vegeta!" Bulma murmured cheerfully in his ear, her voice slightly muffled by the wind whipping through her hair. She glanced at him, noticing that his expression hadn't softened by her comment. He kept his flight path, going downwards to the cave. However, when they were almost reaching the ground, Bulma felt the Saiyan trembling under her embrace. In the next second, Vegeta collapsed to the ground; tossing Bulma meters away from him with the force of the crash.</p><p>"<em>Vegeta!"</em> Bulma exclaimed worriedly, rolling over on the ground, trying to get up and reach for the Saiyan Price collapsed on the ground. "You need to get up!" She moaned, trying to pull his arm up. She struggled to raise him up, watching him carefully as he got to his knees, his whole body trembling from exhaustion. Bulma quickly placed herself under his arm, trying to help support his body so he could get to his feet.</p><p>"Just a few more steps and you can crash on the bed," she murmured softly, walking with the Saiyan Prince towards the accommodations. His body was heavy against her shoulder, but she could tell that he was using all the strength he had left to keep walking.</p><p>Vegeta was breathing heavily as he stepped inside the accommodations. He quickly glanced around the area, noticing how casual the place seemed to be. It was nothing like Freeza's headquarters he had been in before. Suddenly, his eyes caught a huge, golden sphere, brightly shining on the floor. His eyes widened with the sight of the Dragon Ball, right in front of him.</p><p><em>The woman was telling the truth</em>, he thought to himself, slightly moving his body towards the direction of the Dragon Ball. However, Bulma's voice brought him back to reality.</p><p>"There's a bed you can use," she said softly, pointing to the bed in front of them. "It's mine, but I guess I can lend it to you for now."</p><p>He glanced at the bed for a moment, then back to the Dragon Ball. He grunted angrily to himself; knowing that although he needed to grab the Dragon Ball and run, his body was so exhausted that he highly doubted he could fly.</p><p>He freed himself from Bulma's grasp, moving towards the bed and collapsing onto it. The exhaustion hit him hard as the softness of the bed welcomed his weakened body. He hadn't laid on a bed like this<em>… ever</em>. He couldn't even remember that last time he slept on a bed so soft.</p><p>He breathed heavily,feeling his eyelids weighing over his eyes.</p><p>"Don't try anything funny, woman," Vegeta murmured tiredly, his voice almost too low to be discernible.</p><p>Bulma rolled her eyes at his condescending remark. "Yeah, yeah," she muttered in a deadpan voice. "You can rest a little, tough guy!" She said, placing her hands on her hips with annoyance. Not much longer after that, it seemed that Vegeta's exhaustion had finally won the battle, and the Saiyan warrior fell into a deep slumber.</p><p>"Talk about a heavy sleeper," sighed Bulma, while watching Vegeta fall asleep right in front of her eyes. She observed him, noticing that his breath was finally returning to a normal pace, as she was able to hear his soft snores.</p><p>"Well, he <em>definitely</em> needed to sleep," she murmured to herself, taking the opportunity to look at his body, being able to see through the broken armor he was wearing, at all the bruises and wounds he had all over his body. That sight made her heart ache, as she considered if the healing chamber would have helped him heal properly.</p><p>She ran her fingers through the front pocket of her vest, and she decided that she needed to take care of him. She tossed the small capsule on the floor, and instantly, the red and white plastic first aid kit appeared in the room.</p><p>She kneeled on the floor, grabbing the bandages and anti-inflammatory ointment, and any suitable medication that she could find. She glanced back at him, still seated on the floor. She bit her lower lip, glancing at Vegeta, who was snoring loudly beside her. She considered for a moment how mad he would be with her if she took his tattered old armour off.</p><p><em>He'll scream at me anyway</em>, <em>no matter what I do,</em> she concluded to herself, before approaching his body and grabbing the edge of his chest armor. As soon as she pulled it, she realized that it was very flexible and malleable.</p><p>"Oh, this is <em>very</em> stretchy," she murmured, fascinated, pulling the edge of the armor as far as she could. The fabric slipped through her fingers and was pulled back harshly straight at his chest, causing a loud snapping noise as it hit his torso. Bulma whined in fright, holding her breath in and squeezing her eyes shut as she waited for him to wake up and start yelling at her.</p><p>After a few seconds of total silence, she was brave enough to reopen her eyes and glance at Vegeta. He was still sleeping deeply, the commotion having had no effect on him. Bulma exhaled aloud in relief, continuing from where she had stopped. She pulled his chest armor off over his head, and left it on the bottom of the bed.</p><p>"When he wakes up, I'm sure he'll want his armor back," she murmured as she pulled his spandex under-armor up, revealing his sculpted body covered with bruises and scars. She quickly soaked a cloth with an antiseptic solution, before wiping it softly over his body, cleaning his tanned skin before applying the medication. She rubbed the ointment all over the injuries on his torso and arms, massaging the creamy substance until it was transparent on his skin.</p><p>She finished her work on his body, wrapping bandages all over his abdomen and upper arms, taking a moment to inspect his face, and noticed the greenish bruise on his forehead.</p><p>"Zarbon hit him there," she frowned, her eyebrows creasing together as she remembered the encounter he had with the alien. She remembered seeing blood coming down his face, but, looking at the bruise he had now, it looked as if it had happened days ago, and not only a few hours ago. She impulsively ran her fingers over his forehead; noticing how hot it was.</p><p>"He has a fever!"</p><p>She jumped up from the floor, and ran towards the kitchen sink to soak another cloth with cold water. She squeezed it before turning on her heels and walking towards Vegeta again, placing the cloth carefully over his forehead.</p><p>"There you go," she murmured, crossing her arms against her chest, a worried expression set on her face. She inspected his appearance again, carefully analyzing the sleepy figure that lay before her. She couldn't lie to herself how worried she was about his state, and she hoped he could heal from his injuries.</p><p>Bulma ran her fingers through her blue hair, all while thinking about the Saiyan warrior sleeping on her bed, before suddenly feeling on her fingertips how greasy and dirty her hair seemed to be. She glanced down at herself, noting that she was still wearing the same clothing from the last few days.</p><p><em>Maybe I should get in the shower,</em> she thought, starting to walk towards the bathroom as she noticed the Dragon Ball on the floor. For a moment, she considered stowing it away safely while she took her shower, just in case Vegeta woke up and decided to steal it from her.</p><p>"Nah, a shower is more important than that."</p><p>She quickly went to get in the shower, tossing her dirty clothes on the floor, and stepping in the hot water. The warmness of the water treated her aches and pains so well, that she could feel her muscles starting to relax.</p><p>Being by herself for the first time in days gave her the opportunity to think about everything that had happened to her. Vegeta had kidnapped her, forced her to help him find the Dragon Balls, then destroyed a village, and let's not forget how he hurt Gohan.</p><p>"But he <em>did</em> save me" Bulma murmured absently to herself. "Thinking about it, he <em>is</em> listening to me more lately..."</p><p>Now, here she was, taking care of him, and even more than that, she was actually worried about him. It had all happened all of a sudden, and she couldn't stop wondering when her mind had changed about him.</p><p><em>He sure is a bad guy</em>, Bulma thought to herself, scrubbing her hair angrily with shampoo. However, the images of the day he'd saved her came to mind, making her sigh heavily. She had saved him too, rescuing him from Freeza's ship, and bringing him over the Capsule Corp. accommodations. She thought about him sleeping on her bed now, remembering the sight of his body, and taking a moment to appreciate the fact that he had a very nice, sculpted body.</p><p>Bulma quickly shook her head after that thought. This was <em>Vegeta</em> she was daydreaming about, the very man that had <em>killed her friends!</em> She stepped angrily out of the shower, not wanting to spend any more time thinking about the Saiyan's body. She changed into some new clothing, and wrapped the towel around her head, heading towards the main room.</p><p>Thankfully, Vegeta was still sleeping in her bed, as she observed by his loud snore. Suddenly, she heard her own stomach roaring, realizing only then how hungry she was feeling. She quickly turned to the small kitchen and searched inside the refrigerator for something to eat. She made herself a small dinner with some frozen food she found, and ate it quickly.</p><p>Once she finished it, she felt her heart desiring something sweet, and she decided to prepare some ginseng tea with honey. She boiled the water in her portable kettle and poured it into the huge, pink mug that she had brought with her, adding the ginseng tea sachet into the hot water, along with some drops of honey. She took in the warming and calming smell for a moment, taking a small sip from her tea, walking closer to the bed.</p><p>Bulma placed her hand softly against his cheek, noticing that his fever was less intense. She left her tea cup on the floor besides the bed, and removed the damp cloth from his forehead to rinse it again with cold water. She returned to the bed, and covered Vegeta's forehead again with the cold cloth, sitting down on the floor and grabbing her pink mug again to drink her tea quietly.</p><p>She observed Vegeta while he slept, noticing his eyebrow twitching slightly, as he probably dreamed about something. Looking at him, so calm as he slept, Bulma could see that the man in front of her was in fact very<em> handsome</em>.</p><p>"You can be very charming, without that scowl on..." she murmured teasingly to herself, taking a final sip from her tea before leaving the mug on the floor again. She stretched her arms over her head tiredly, her body also feeling exhausted from the day she'd had.</p><p>She placed her elbow on the mattress to support her head, resting her cheek in her hand. She yawned a few times, glancing at Vegeta one last time before she finally closed her eyes, and placed her head comfortably over her arms, resting peacefully on the bed next to the Saiyan Prince.</p><hr/><p>"I found the last one, Krillin!" Gohan exclaimed happily to his bald friend, holding a large Dragon Ball in front of his body. Krillin smirked at his young friend.</p><p>"That's great, Gohan!" He said, waving the Dragon Ball radar in his hand. "Now we just need to find the seventh Dragon Ball!"</p><p>Gohan placed the golden sphere, along with the other four they had found together. Using the Dragon Ball radar Krillin had stolen from Bulma, they had quickly gathered all five Dragon Balls that were by Freeza's ship.</p><p>"And where's the last one, besides the one we have?" Gohan asked, while Krillin scanned the radar in his hand.</p><p>"It's not very far away from here, Gohan," he murmured, absently. "Let's hope Vegeta isn't there."</p><p>Gohan sighed, heavily. "Are you sure it was a good idea leaving Bulma behind… <em>with</em> Vegeta? What if he left her to be caught by Freeza's men?"</p><p>Krillin crossed his arms against his chest. "I've <em>told </em>you, Gohan. Bulma <em>can</em> take care of herself." He glared at the bowl-cut kid, who didn't seem convinced.</p><p>"But why did you grab her radar?"</p><p>"Well, I've known Bulma for a very long time, and I know how she can get a <em>little</em> carried away with men," Krillin said, absently kicking the dirt beneath his feet. "Let's just say that it's better for all of us if Vegeta is kept as far away from this radar as possible."</p><p>Gohan rose his brows, seemingly puzzled by Krillin's train of thought.</p><p>"Krillin, are you not worried about Bulma?"</p><p>"Don't worry, Gohan!" Krillin said, patting his hand on the kid's shoulder. "Bulma is fine. To tell you the truth, I think <em>Vegeta</em> is the one in danger."</p><p>"What?" Gohan blinked, bewildered; raising his eyebrow at Krillin and eliciting a cheerful grin from the bald man.</p><p>"Bulma may not be able to fly or shoot lasers like us, but she's a demon <em>herself!"</em></p><p>Gohan widened his eyes, still not following the same mind track as Krillin.</p><p>"Don't worry Gohan, if we find the last Dragon Ball in time, we won't have to worry about this!"</p><p>Gohan nodded hesitantly at his friend's words. After making sure that the five Dragon Balls were hidden away carefully, they blasted into full speed towards the location of the last remaining Dragon Ball.</p><p>They finally reached the cave with the Dragon Ball Vegeta and Bulma had captured earlier. However, to both of their surprise, the cave was empty.</p><p>"I'm not sensing Vegeta or Bulma here, Krillin," Gohan murmured, stepping inside the cave and taking a good look around. Krillin followed his steps, also noting that they were alone. Suddenly, his eyes caught on a golden sphere shining behind some rocks. Krillin approached it, only to find that it was in fact the Dragon Ball they were searching for.</p><p>"Gohan, look! It's the last Dragon Ball!"</p><p>Gohan's eyes widened, and he ran towards Krillin, watching as he lifted the massive artifact from the ground.</p><p>"But… if the Dragon Ball is here… <em>where</em> is Bulma?" Gohan asked, startled, eliciting a frown from the bald man.</p><p>"I don't know," Krillin said, then scratched his chin absently before placing the Dragon Ball on the floor. "Maybe she's at the camp."</p><p>"<em>We have to go there, then!" </em>Gohan exclaimed with determination, before picking the Dragon Ball up off the floor, and heading towards the cave's entrance. Krillin quickly followed him, but once they reached the entrance, they both felt a strong, malevolent ki hovering in the sky. They tried to conceal themselves; peeking around the edge of the cave to see who the person was.</p><p>"I remember him," Krillin whispered. "He was on Freeza's ship," he said, as he watched Zarbon flying away at full speed.</p><p>"He must be looking for us!" Gohan spoke up, gaining a sudden frown from Krillin.</p><p>"Gohan, change of plans!" Krillin turned on his heels, facing him, and staring deep into his eyes. "We need to get you to meet Master Guru, so he can unleash your power."</p><p>"What?" Gohan asked hesitantly, then received a sharp nod from Krillin.</p><p>"He's an ancient Namekian that has the ability to unleash your hidden power just by touching you," Krillin explained in a short breath, only causing Gohan to widen his eyes even more at the strange description.</p><p>"I'm starting to worry about you, Krillin."</p><p>"Don't worry Gohan, you'll be stronger than before!" Krillin exclaimed, patting his hand joyfully on his shoulder, trying to encourage him. "Heck, you might even be the <em>strongest </em>of all of us!"</p><p>"But… what about Bulma and the last Dragon Ball?"</p><p>"Did you feel that guy's strength? He's much stronger than Vegeta, and he's not as strong as that freak Freeza!" the bald man exclaimed, while Gohan listened to his words mindfully.</p><p>"If we want to keep fighting until Goku's arrival, we must get you stronger!"</p><p>Gohan slightly heavily, nodding at Krillin's words. He knew he needed to deal with everything until his father arrived.</p><p>"Fine, let's go then!"</p><hr/><p>A bittersweet smell invaded Vegeta's nostrils; causing the Saiyan Prince to open his eyes slowly, waking up from his deep sleep. He looked up at the ceiling, remembering that he was in the Earthling's accommodation. He glanced slightly down at his body, pulling his spandex under-armor, staring at the bandages all over his naked torso and arms.</p><p>"What the…" he grunted to himself, taking a moment to analyze the work done. He glanced down on the bed, noticing his armor placed on the bottom of it. Suddenly, he caught the sight of Bulma near him. She was sitting on the floor with her head placed over her arms over the bed, sleeping peacefully.</p><p>It quickly came to mind that she had taken care of him, but the reason behind it intrigued him. He had done a lot of things to her, <em>including</em> hurting her physically; and yet she had somehow decided to rescue him from Freeza and took care of him afterward.</p><p>Vegeta sighed heavily, trying to remember when the last time someone took care of him was, and realizing that he couldn't remember anything, not even when he was a child back on his home planet.</p><p>His attention went back to Bulma, noticing her body was gradually sliding closer to his in her sleepy state. He watched as she opened her eyes, then blinked a few times before connecting with his watchful eyes. She was startled to see him awake, and quickly straightened her posture on the floor.</p><p>"Oh, you're awake!" She enthused cheerfully, smiling shyly at him. "You looked pretty bad."</p><p>Vegeta grunted, his scowl back on his features. "I'm a Saiyan elite warrior. We can heal from pretty much any wound," he said coldly, glancing away from her penetrating gaze for a moment.</p><p>Bulma frowned for a moment, crossing her arms against her chest, annoyed. "Well, maybe the work <em>I </em>did, did help a <em>little</em>, hm?!" she snapped, scrunching up her nose angrily.</p><p>Vegeta glanced back at her, taking a moment to consider her words. Although he wouldn't admit it, he <em>was</em> feeling a lot better. He leaned his body over to her slightly, his dark, obsidian eyes gazing straight into her big, blue eyes.</p><p>Bulma was caught off-guard by the intensity of his gaze. They both stood, quiet for a moment while glaring at each other for a period that seemed like an eternity.</p><p>"I <strong>told</strong> you not to do anything <em>funny," </em>Vegeta hissed angrily at her, his gaze as dark and cold as a grave.</p><p>"<em>What!?</em> Who do you think <em>I</em> am?" Bulma blinked; bewildered, her hands gesturing angrily in the air. " I <em>didn't</em> <strong>do</strong> anything, instead, I <em>helped</em> you! You should be thanking me!" She huffed at him, annoyed. "Besides, all I did was change your clothes, and patch you up with a few bandages."</p><p>"Why?" Vegeta asked her huskily, his intense gaze locked onto hers. Bulma cleared her throat before speaking.</p><p>"<em>Well, because you were hurt!"</em></p><p>"Damnit, not that," Vegeta breathed heavily, before continuing. "Why did you <em>rescue</em> me?"</p><p>Bulma opened her mouth briefly after the question. His gaze was penetrating her; and she could tell by the look on his face that he genuinely wanted to know what had made her do it for him. She glanced away from him, feeling her hands sweating as she also considered the question, herself.</p><p>"Well," she started, shrugging frivolously as an excuse came to her mind. "You would've done the same to me."</p><p>"No," Vegeta said, coldly. "Definitely not. I would have left you, gathered the Dragon Balls, became immortal and killed Freeza," he said, making Bulma turn her head towards him, noticing that he had a devilish smirk upon his face. She wasn't expecting that kind of joyful response, which warmed her heart slightly.</p><p>"Such a <em>charming</em> prince," she mocked, as she rolled her eyes at his previous comments.</p><p>Vegeta huffed at her. "I'm not like any <em>prince </em>you know, I'm the Prince of a proud warrior race!"</p><p>"That's for sure," Bulma murmured to herself, while twirling her finger through her hair, absently as Vegeta continued to stare at her with his smoldering gaze.</p><p>"You haven't answered my question," he stated bluntly, and Bulma sighed heavily, gazing back at him.</p><p>"I… I couldn't let you die," she murmured softly, feeling her body warming up as Vegeta considered her words for a brief moment.</p><p>"I thought I was just… What did you call me?" he muttered absently for a moment. "Oh, right. A <em>dumb brute</em>."</p><p>Bulma widened her eyes for a moment, opening her mouth to speak but nothing came out of it.</p><p>"Nobody's ever called me <em>that</em>," he murmured, his gaze set on hers.</p><p>"Maybe not <em>in</em> <em>front</em> of you," Bulma joked softly, eliciting a frown from Vegeta.</p><p>"You are a fool, <em>Bulma.</em>" he murmured huskily, his expression not as hard as before, and he had a shy smile upon his lips.</p><p>Bulma felt her heart skip a beat as she glanced back at him, his shy smile warming her whole body to the point that she could tell her cheeks were blushing. Bulma cleared her throat audibly, before speaking up.</p><p>"Wait, did you call me by my <em>name</em>? Well, if this is your brutish way of thanking me, I'll accept that," she murmured softly, trying to conceal the smile upon her lips as she got up from the floor, and approached him. She reached for the cold cloth on his forehead, but to her surprise, Vegeta dodged her hand quickly. Bulma raised her eyebrow at him.</p><p>"Vegeta, I <em>need</em> to check and see if you still have a fever," she grumbled angrily, making the Saiyan cross his arms in front of his chest.</p><p>"Nonsense," he hissed at her, his scowl back on his features once more. "Your assistance is no longer needed."</p><p>Bulma stomped her foot on the floor angrily, scrunching up her nose at the stubborn man.</p><p>"<em>Don't be a child!"</em> She snapped, kneeling on the bed next to him and trying to reach for his forehead at any cost. Vegeta crawled away from her, holding her arm firmly in the air, away from him. <em>"Vegeta, stop it!"</em></p><p>"<em><strong>You</strong></em><em> should stop!"</em> he hissed angrily at her, annoyed by her persistence at babysitting him. <em>"I'm not a child, I don't need your help!"</em></p><p>Bulma crawled over him, putting herself between his body as she reached for his forehead and grabbed the dry cloth from it. <em>"Look, it's </em><em><strong>dry</strong></em><em> from the fever, you jerk!"</em></p><p>Vegeta widened his eyes as he realized how close her body was to his, and more so, how dangerously close her right thigh was rubbing against the rounded apex of his hips. If she continued to do it, his spandex pants would leave little to the imagination.</p><p>"Woman!" he snapped angrily at her, making Bulma wide-eye him, startled. "Take your garments off, or get the fuck off of me!" he hissed, and Bulma whined at his remark, only then realizing how close her body was to his. "Although, I must say I've had more hideous company in the past."</p><p>Bulma gasped as she heard him, not moving from where she was. <em>"Hideous…?!"</em> She tossed the dry cloth onto his face harshly, crossing her arms angrily. <em>"You idiot, ungrateful jerk!"</em></p><p>Vegeta sat on the mattress, moving his face closer to hers. "Although I must say, you are the most annoying of them all!" he hissed, and Bulma growled at him.</p><p>"You should know, <em>your highness</em>," she said, while stabbing a finger into his chest. "Back on Earth, I'm not <em>only</em> the most intelligent woman alive, but I'm also the <em>most</em> beautiful as well!"</p><p>"Well, maybe the standards on Earth are pretty low," he teased her, watching her big blue eyes alight into azure flames right before him.</p><p>"<em>You're a moron!</em>" Bulma howled at him. "Any man would<em> die</em> to have a chance with me!"</p><p>Vegeta snorted at her. "Well, <em>that </em>proves my point," he murmured bitterly. "They must be all weaklings to fall for a bratty, foul-mouthed, annoying woman as loud as you!"</p><p>Bulma curled her mouth into a snarl as her brows drew low. "Is that so?!" she shouted, before roughly grabbing his cheeks with both of her hands, and pulling his face towards hers, her lips meeting his for a brief moment before she realized what she had just done.</p><p>Bulma quickly withdrew from Vegeta, her big blue eyes gazing into his owlishly. He had a confused, awkward expression on his face, and Bulma could feel her burning hot cheeks as she blushed profusely.</p><p>"I-I… should see if Krillin and Gohan are back," she said, stepping away from him and towards the front door, not before bumping into the table in the middle of the room. She quickly turned around, and ran outside, leaving a very confused Saiyan behind.</p><p>Bulma went outside, hoping to catch some fresh air to cease the rapid beating of her heart a bit. "Bulma, what have you done?" she whimpered to herself, dazedly touching her lips with her fingers, as she remembered their kiss. Her heart was beating rapidly inside her chest, and her mind was spinning so wildly with her thoughts, that she didn't notice someone approaching her.</p><p>She heard a stick cracking from behind her, and sighed, imagining it was Vegeta that was coming after her. However, when she turned around to see who it was, she was face-to-face with the monstrous side of Zarbon, who was standing right in front of her, his golden eyes narrowed with his rage.</p><p>"<em>You, again?!"</em> Zarbon yelled angrily, startling Bulma.</p><p>Bulma screamed, frightened; her heartbeat pulsing frantically in her throat as she stumbled back a few paces, away from the monstrous alien. Zarbon continued to walk towards her, slowly; his long strides quickly gaining on her. Bulma was shaking, her entire body quivering with terror as he approached her, making her lose her balance and fall onto the ground.</p><p>Zarbon grunted, and grabbed her by her shirt collar off of the ground, bringing her closer to his huge, monstrous muzzle. <em>"Where is he?!" </em>He demanded, his rancid breath hot on her face.</p><p>Bulma swallowed hard, trying to free herself from his grasp. "Wh-who?" she whimpered, and Zarbon shook her body in mid-air angrily.</p><p>"Vegeta! Where is Vegeta?"</p><p>"I-I don't know!" Bulma whimpered, feeling dizzy from his powerful fist shaking her. "You took him away, remember?" she taunted.</p><p>"You don't fool me, little thing," Zarbon grumbled angrily; his sulphuric gaze burning deeply into her eyes. "I don't know <em>why</em> you are helping him. But, if you <strong>are</strong> helping Vegeta with the Dragon Balls, I know Lord Freeza will be more than happy to meet you."</p><p>Bulma held her breath in, feeling her body trembling as the idea of being brought before Freeza appeared in her mind. <em>"No... No…"</em> she whimpered slowly, feeling the swell of hot tears filling her eyes. However, both Bulma and Zarbon were caught off guard as a voice boomed, loudly from behind them.</p><p>"<em>Put her down, right now!"</em> Vegeta yelled to Zarbon, his glowing hand at the ready to attack. Bulma gaped at him, noticing that he had put his armor back on, and removed all of his bandages. Zarbon stared openly at Vegeta for a moment, before snickering at him.</p><p>"Vegeta, we both knew how this would end."</p><p>Vegeta smirked at Zarbon. "Yes. With you <em>dying</em> by my hands."</p><p>"Don't be a fool, Vegeta!" Zarbon yelled, turning himself around completely to the Saiyan, while still carrying Bulma. "I could have killed you. I only let you live because <em>this</em> little thing here begged me to keep you alive."</p><p>Vegeta curled his mouth into a snarl, clenching his first firmly. "You can't kill a Saiyan warrior! You can bleed us dry to the edge of death, crush every bone in our bodies, but that will only make us even stronger!"</p><p>Zarbon tsked, annoyed. "I don't care how strong you can become! You'll never beat me in this form!" Zarbon snarled, tossing Bulma onto the floor, away from him. She rolled across the ground, in time to see Zarbon flying straight at Vegeta, ready to kill him.</p><p>However, before Bulma could even blink, she saw Vegeta punching Zarbon right in his stomach; crushing his chest armor, and puncturing his abdomen in a sharp attack. Zarbon coughed hoarsely, spitting blue blood out of his mouth. The alien glanced down at Vegeta, holding the Saiyan's head with both of his hands.</p><p>"Vegeta… I-I was… just following orders," Zarbon stammered, his whole body shaking from the excruciating pain. Vegeta only drove his punch further into his insides, causing more blood to bleed out from the gouge in Zarbon's abdomen. "P-please, don't kill me."</p><p>"It's just me, or are you begging for your life, Zarbon?" Vegeta hissed angrily, his fist still deep inside the alien's entrails.</p><p>"Vegeta... spare me, and we... will be a team." Zarbon last whimpered, before Vegeta loaded a huge blast into his body, ready to implode the former Freeza henchman into ashes.</p><p>Bulma quickly covered her vision, just in time to avoid seeing such a grotesque scene play out before her very eyes. In the next second, she heard a deafening sound crackling through the atmosphere, before a dead silence spread, encompassing her. She glanced through her fingers, noticing only Vegeta was left standing on the bloody ground. There was no trace of Zarbon anymore.</p><p>Vegeta turned on his heels, facing Bulma, who lay on the floor. She quickly lifted herself up from the ground, and watched as he walked towards the cave entrance. Her eyes widened as she saw him grabbing the Dragon Ball from the blue grass. <em>When did he bring it here?</em> She thought to herself, her heart beating rapidly.</p><p>Vegeta glanced at her, as he held the huge Dragon Ball under his left arm. He walked closer to her, his hard expression set upon his features again. Bulma swallowed hard as he stepped closer, but she didn't step back. She continued to stare at him, deep into his dark eyes.</p><p>Vegeta stood a few inches away from her, his eyes scanning her whole body before stopping at her gaze. Bulma could feel her pulse pounding in her throat, as he gazed, his ebony irises smoldering into hers. She had no idea what he was going to do, but, for the very first time since their initial encounter, she didn't fear him.</p><p>Without saying a word, Vegeta busted into high speed, and flew away from Bulma with the Dragon Ball, leaving the blue-haired woman blinking a few times, as realization suddenly hit her.</p><p>"Did… did he just leave me?"</p><hr/><p><strong>A/N:</strong> <strong>YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME! I couldn't believe the amount of lovely feedbacks and reviews I received in the previous chapter! Thanks so much for everyone that reviewed, followed, favorited, left kudos and read the fic!</strong></p><p>
  <strong>This chapter was beta'd by the amazing RoyalBlueRoses! Check out the most adorable, fun and hot new fic she's writing: A Rose by Any Other Name! She rocks!</strong>
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  <strong>Reviews are always welcome and much appreciated! Thank you so much in advance to anyone who takes the time to write one!</strong>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7 – The Ginyu Force – Part 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em><strong>Author:</strong></em> Becky L. Sly</p><p><em><strong>Title: </strong></em>What If: Namek</p><p><em><strong>Genre: </strong></em>Romance/Adventure</p><p><em><strong>Rating: </strong></em>T (there will be cusswords, violence and some non-explicit sexual situation that might not be appropriated for all readers)</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>I just own the plot. All characters belong to Funimation, Toei Animation, and Akira Toriyama.</strong>
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  <strong>Chapter 7 – The Ginyu Force – Part 1</strong>
</p><p>Vegeta was flying full speed across the green sky; holding a huge, golden Dragon Ball under his left arm, while his mind was clouded with thoughts. And the only person he could blame for it was the bratty, foul-mouthed, annoying blue-haired woman that couldn't leave his mind.</p><p>"Damn it," Vegeta hissed, clenching his fists while speeding up even more. He needed to get away from her, as far as possible. He couldn't lie to himself about the fact that Bulma was starting to hinder his goals of gathering all the Dragon Balls. He needed to have focus, and be sharp if he wanted to achieve his immortality. Having a distraction like her wasn't going to help him in that area.</p><p>That was why he left her; he knew she was toying with his mind, like some sort of space sorceress; trying to seduce him with her gentle talking and soft lips to take his focus off his duties.</p><p>"I need to gather all the Dragon Balls," he murmured to himself, flying towards the cave he had hidden the first Dragon Ball he had encountered on Namek. "And then, I will achieve my immortality and defeat Freeza once for all."</p><p>With the clouds rushing past him, he kept a steady pace while thinking about what he would do after finally defeating Freeza. He would begin with killing Freeza's minions on Namek as a start, before he could leave this mudhole planet forever. He considered the idea of killing the Earthlings as well, just to be sure that no one would interfere in his plans again. <em>Maybe I could spare her, she could be useful with her technological knowledge, </em>Vegeta thought to himself before gasping in the realization of what he just thought.</p><p>"<em>Damn it, Bulma</em>," He hissed angrily, remembering the recent events. She had dared to kiss him, after yelling at him and cursing him in a way he never seen a woman dare to do to him before. She intrigued him, and the worst part was that he knew better; he was becoming <em>attached</em> to her. That simple thought tasted bittersweet on his tongue. After living through almost three decades of life, he knew he just couldn't afford feeling such a thing for someone. Those kinds of feelings were for the weak, and <em>he</em>, as the Prince of all Saiyans, the<em> elite</em> of the <em>elite,</em> couldn't be weak.</p><p>But, Vegeta couldn't lie to himself. He knew... in fact, he <em>wanted</em> to protect her. He remembered that as soon as he heard Bulma screaming when Zarbon came to attack her, he flew outside of the cave as fast as he could.</p><p>'<em>I could have killed you. I only let you live because </em><em><strong>this </strong></em><em>little thing here begged me to keep you alive.' </em>Zarbon's voice echoed through his mind, bringing back the fact that she had begged to spare his life. Vegeta couldn't bear that he was saved by someone other than himself. What could she possibly accomplish with that? The more he mulled over it, the less he understood why she was risking so much for him, and what her true intentions were.</p><p>He finally reached the cave, his mind more clouded than before. He set the Dragon Ball he was holding onto the ground to look for the other one. He stormed into the cave, searching every single nook and cranny, trying to locate the huge, golden sphere where he was sure he left it.</p><p>"Where is it…?" he muttered, frowning angrily when he couldn't find it anywhere. He could feel his heart beating faster as his blood boiled with anger. Suddenly, the realization hit him hard as a simple thought came to his mind.</p><p>"The baldy and Kakarot's brat," he hissed, gritting his teeth. <em>They had stolen the Dragon Ball from him.</em> They had the Dragon Ball radar and managed to find it effortlessly, stealing it right out from under Vegeta's nose.</p><p>"<em>I'm gonna kill them all!"</em> He howled, heading straight towards the cave's entrance to grab the Dragon Ball off from the floor and hunt down the Earthlings. "That woman planned <em>all</em> this. To keep me distracted so that her friends could gather all the Dragon Balls first," he hissed bitterly, blasting at full speed into the sky.</p><p>"Too bad for them that they will have to face <em>me</em> to get the <em>last</em> one," he murmured to himself, while holding the Dragon Ball tightly under his arm. He could feel his blood boiling inside his veins, his mouth almost salivating with the rage he was feeling. He had been tricked, and now he was going to show those bastards why you should not mess with a Saiyan Prince.</p><p>However, before Vegeta could plan his next move, he felt a strong, intense energy nearby. He paused mid-flight all of a sudden, trying to understand where that power had come from.</p><p>"That power level…" He murmured; his eyebrows low as he tried to track it again. "The last time I felt a power level like this was…" he wondered aloud, remembering the time he spent on Earth, then finally understanding what that power level meant.</p><p>"Kakarot!"</p><p>Vegeta burst through the sky with his rage, his senses finally catching the path that led to the place where Kakarot was. He had managed somehow to come to Namek as well, probably to help his Earth friends on their quest. Vegeta couldn't let that happen; he needed to stop them. A devilish grin spread upon his lips as the thought of defeating Kakarot came to mind.</p><hr/><p>"<em>That bastard, idiot, son of a royal bitch!"</em> Bulma yelled angrily, as she rummaged through a large pile of capsules on the floor inside of the Capsule Corp. accommodations. She was trying to find something, all while cursing the Saiyan Prince that not only had left her behind without saying a word, but he had stolen her Dragon Ball as well.</p><p>She needed to find him, and somehow get that Dragon Ball back. She had been stupid enough to believe she could trust him, and leave it out in the open, ready from him to just grab it and leave her.</p><p>"If Krillin finds out that I let Vegeta have it, I won't ever hear the end of it," she huffed, annoyed, carefully reading the capsule's tiny label as she thought about what Krillin would tell her. Y<em>ou're always getting carried away when there's a man involved, Bulma,</em> she heard Krillin's voice in her mind, scolding her for her recent actions.</p><p>Bulma sighed heavily, not wanting to admit to herself that she had been fooled by Vegeta. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and scrunched up her nose angrily. "As if <em>I</em> would get goofed around by that jerk." However, her mind failed her as she remembered his obsidian eyes staring at her, smoldering, and also how he called her 'Bulma' so tenderly.</p><p>"Stupid Bulma," she cursed herself, slapping her palm over her forehead. Why did she <em>have</em> to kiss him? Of course, she was just trying to prove her point, that any man could fall for such a beauty as her, but she hadn't planned to do it with <em>Vegeta</em>. Especially being confused as she was feeling afterward.</p><p>Bulma breathed heavily, cradling her knees, her mind flooded to the brim with her racing thoughts. Vegeta was the one responsible for killing her friends on Earth, <em>including</em> Yamcha. She and the former bandit weren't at the best place in their relationship anymore, and before that, all happened, they'd decided to have a break for a while. She was devastated when he was killed, and she cried her heart out when she thought it was impossible to bring Yamcha back.</p><p>So, she must hate Vegeta for what he had done, right? At first, she <em>did, </em>but now, she couldn't hate him, <em>not anymore</em>. Something had changed, and all she felt at the moment were these stupid feelings towards the Saiyan warrior. She had seen another side of him, and although he was still Vegeta, deep inside she knew he was so more complex than she would have ever imagined. He was a strong, brave man; quite alluring as well, with his husky voice and intense glare.</p><p>Bulma rolled her eyes with that last thought, returning her attention to the capsules on the floor. "The kiss was not <em>that</em> impressive," she murmured wryly, picking up a red capsule to the floor. "What I'm feeling in my stomach is not butterflies, but pure rage," she said to herself, reading the tiny label of the capsule on her fingers.</p><p>"<em>That's it!" </em>she exclaimed excitedly, finally finding the weapon she was searching for. Her plan was simple; she was going to search for Vegeta or Krillin and Gohan, whoever came first. And then, she would get all the Dragon Balls together to wish for the stupid magical Dragon to end this whole mess.</p><p>However, after her experiences in the field, she knew she just couldn't get on her hover motorcycle and search for them without any kind of equipment to guard herself. She was alone, on a planet with aliens that could harm her, and at the very least, shoot lasers with their hands. She would be silly to think she didn't need a little help in that department.</p><p>She carefully placed the capsule in the front pocket of her vest and grabbed the capsule that contained her hover motorcycle. She went outside the cave quickly, and tossed the green capsule on the ground, revealing her hot-pink vehicle. She jumped onto it and began to drive away from the cave, trying to seek out any traces of where her friends were.</p><hr/><p>Krillin was waiting for Gohan outside Master Guru's home. They had managed to reach the eldest Namekian in a short time in order to ask the Guru to unleash Gohan's hidden powers. The bald warrior knew that their time was short, and sooner or later, Freeza or his minions would come searching for them. Not to mention Vegeta, which Krillin was sure would be mad if he somehow found out that they had stolen his Dragon Balls. Deep inside, Krillin was hoping that Bulma's attempts would be enough to distract Vegeta, at least until Goku's arrival.</p><p>However, before Krillin could muse any further on that thought, he felt a hint of a strong energy coming right for them. He could almost <em>taste</em> the ozone of the powerful, enraged ki that was rushing right into his direction, making it pretty clear to the bald warrior who was coming.</p><p>"Oh, no!" Krillin yelled, pushing away from the wall he was leaning on, and getting into his fight stance.<em> "Vegeta found us!"</em></p><p>And just like a lightning strike, Vegeta appeared right before his bare eyes. Krillin's eyes widened in shock, gasping for air with the sight of the powerful Saiyan Prince standing right before his eyes, fully healed and stronger than ever before.</p><p>"Well, well," Vegeta hissed wryly, glaring at Krillin. "Look what we've found here."</p><p>"Ve-Vegeta…" Krillin stammered, trying to moisten his throat before speaking again. "What are you doing here?"</p><p>Vegeta curled his mouth in a snarl, his fist clenching at his side. "Don't play fool with me! I'm here to get the Dragon Ball you idiots have stolen from me!" Vegeta growled, his voice, dead serious.</p><p>"Oh, <em>please</em>, tell me you hid it. I was really looking for a punching bag, and you may just make the cut."</p><p>It was only then that Krillin realized what Vegeta was carrying under his arm. The bald man swallowed hard with the sight of the Dragon Ball. He could have only gotten it from <strong>one</strong> place. Suddenly a rush of guilt and rage burned inside Krillin's heart, as he noticed that Bulma was not with Vegeta, and he was holding her Dragon Ball.</p><p>"<em>Hey, you!"</em> Krillin yelled angrily, clenching his teeth at the warrior in front of him. <em>"What have you done to Bulma?! You'll pay if you hurt her!"</em></p><p>Vegeta blinked at the remark before his eyebrows drew low on his forehead. "The trickster woman is fine." He hissed bitterly, diverting his gaze from Krillin's. "I left her behind," Vegeta said in a low tone, eliciting frown from Krillin.</p><p>"Why should I trust you, how can I know that you <em>didn't</em> hurt her?"</p><p>Vegeta huffed at his comments. "Maybe she's just lucky that I didn't <em>want</em> to hurt her." Vegeta hissed, stepping closer to Krillin. "But I can't say the same thing about you."</p><p>Krillin's eyes widened at the remark, realizing that Vegeta was telling the truth about Bulma. He didn't know why, but he was sure that Vegeta hadn't hurt Bulma and, in fact, he really did leave her behind. <em>Maybe having Bulma around </em><em><strong>was</strong></em><em> good, in the end</em>, Krillin thought to himself.</p><p>"Now, enough about the bratty woman," Vegeta yelled angrily, tearing Krillin away from his silent reverie. <em>"Where are the Dragon Balls?!"</em> He howled, his voice fueled with rage.<em> "And </em><em><strong>where</strong></em><em> is Kakarot?!"</em></p><p>Krillin frowned at the last question. "Goku? He's <em>not here</em>, you fool!" The bald man said, making Vegeta step slowly closer to him, threatening him even more.</p><p>"Don't lie to me, I <em>felt</em> his power level" Vegeta countered, his glare burning into Krillin. However, before Krillin could say something more, Gohan appeared behind the warriors, making sure both Vegeta and Krillin turned their heads to where the little warrior was. Vegeta widened his gaze, baffled that the brat in front of him was the one emanating the large power level he had sensed before.</p><p>"<em>What?!"</em> Vegeta yelled, bewildered, glaring at Gohan, who was clenching his fists, seemingly ready to fight against Vegeta. "You…? But you're only a little brat," Vegeta murmured, confused. He glanced around, noticing a tall, young Namekian behind Gohan. He was similar to the one Nappa had killed on Earth, but this one was stronger. However, he and Gohan weren't as strong as Vegeta was at that moment.</p><p>The Saiyan Prince smirked at them, snickering devilishly. "What? Am I now supposed to be scared just because you had a little power boost?"</p><p>Gohan blinked a few times at the remark, feeling as if maybe his efforts to reach Master Guru were in vain, after all.</p><p>"It changes <strong>nothing</strong>. You are <em>nowhere near</em> my power level." The Saiyan Prince said, huskily. "What were you planning to do? <em>Attack</em> me?" Vegeta mocked, and Gohan swallowed hard. However, Nail stepped in front of Gohan, his gaze concentrated on Vegeta.</p><p>Vegeta snickered at Nail. "Your call," he murmured, teasingly. However, before any of them could make the first move, a small Namekian child ran from inside the dome-shaped house nearby.</p><p>"Dende!" Gohan murmured tensely, glancing at the green-skinned child, trying to regain his breath from behind him. "Don't come here!"</p><p>"<em>I need... to warn you!"</em> Dende said, trying to catch his air back. <em>"Master Guru asked me to warn you all."</em></p><p>"What is it, Dende?" Nail asked his little green brother, taking his attention away from Vegeta.</p><p>"Master Guru said there is some kind of powerful force coming towards us!" the green child said, his brow ridges tensed worriedly.</p><p>"What?" Vegeta raised his eyebrow, confused. "Who is this<em> 'Guru'?"</em></p><p>"He's right!" Krillin exclaimed from behind Vegeta, gazing up at the green sky above them. "I can feel it coming!"</p><p>"Yeah," Gohan murmured from the other side, also glancing up at the sky. "The power level is huge!"</p><p>"Wait, Gohan!" Krillin said, as suddenly a smile crossed his face. "I got it! It's Goku!" He exclaimed excitedly, but Gohan shook his head steadily.</p><p>"I don't know, Krillin," Gohan said slowly, his eyes still scanning the green sky. "It feels like… there's more than one there."</p><p>Suddenly, Vegeta's eyes widened as a startling realization hit him. "No…," he said loudly, causing everyone else to stare at him with wide eyes. "That <em>can't</em> be them!" He continued, while he himself frantically searched the sky for any movement. He then was able to sense the energy himself, it was beginning to come clearer to him. <em>One, two, three, four… </em><em><strong>five</strong></em><em>.</em> He counted in his mind, while a cold shiver ran down his spine.</p><p>"<em>Damn it all!"</em> Vegeta yelled, angrily. <em>"Freeza called the Ginyu Force!"</em></p><p>Noticing how seemingly worried and scared Vegeta was, Gohan and Krillin glanced at each other, trying to understand who the Ginyu Force was. However, before any of them could start asking questions, Vegeta ran towards Gohan and grabbed him by the collar, raising him off the ground.</p><p>"<em><strong>This</strong></em><em> is what </em><em>I get for getting along with that bratty woman!" </em>Vegeta screamed, as angrier than ever before<em> "</em>No more time for games!<em>"</em> Vegeta hissed, his breath hot on Gohan's face. "Tell me, right now, where are the Dragon Balls!"</p><p>"I-I don't have them… here." Gohan stammered, trying to free himself from Vegeta's iron grip.</p><p>"Then tell me <em>where</em> they are," Vegeta murmured huskily. "Tell me, and I <em>promise</em> I won't harm you or your friends."</p><p>Gohan looked hard at Vegeta, searching his gaze to confirm that he was telling the truth, at least for the moment. The boy swallowed hard, feeling sure that whoever the Ginyu Force was, Vegeta feared them.</p><p>"If I don't get my wish, <em>we all</em> will be dead!" Vegeta shook Gohan mid-air, trying to convince him. However, Krillin's voice got Vegeta's attention.</p><p>"Do you really think we're that stupid?" The bald man asked from behind the Saiyan Prince. "You put him down, <em>right now</em>, Vegeta!"</p><p>Vegeta huffed, before dropping Gohan on the ground, turning on his heels to face the bald warrior. "Listen to me," he began, his voice low and gruff. "Don't be a fool. These are not like Freeza's minions you encountered before. <em>These are the Ginyu Force</em>. Each one of them is as strong as I am, maybe even <em>stronger</em>."</p><p>Gohan gasped on the ground, his eyes meeting Krillin's for a brief moment, before Vegeta could continue.</p><p>"They will be here, with new scouters. They <em>will</em> find us and <em>kill</em> us all!"</p><p>"No…" Krillin said, stepping back as soon as Vegeta's words weighed fully inside of his mind. "You can't be serious about that."</p><p>Vegeta clenched his first, determined. "You know I'm telling the truth," he hissed, watching Krillin nod hesitantly at him. "We only get one chance to defeat them. I need to use the Dragon Balls to make myself immortal so that I can beat them all."</p><p>Krillin sighed heavily, his brows tensing worriedly as he heard Vegeta's plan. He could feel the immense, malevolent power levels approaching the planet, but what Vegeta was asking them was unthinkable. How could they let <em>him</em>, the one and only being responsible for them to even be on Namek, be immortal? He just couldn't let that happen.</p><p>"Here's the deal," Krillin began, his voice low as he tried to form a proper plan. "We will use the wish on Gohan."</p><p>Vegeta threw his hands up in the air angrily. "They boy may be strong, but he doesn't have the fighting experience! <em>It </em><em><strong>has</strong></em><em> to be me!</em>"</p><p>"<em>No!"</em> Krillin exclaimed, angrily. "I <em>can't</em> do it! Our entire search would have been in vain!"</p><p>"But you'd still have two more wishes," Nail's voice brought everyone back to earth. They all faced the tall man. "Didn't you know? The Dragon will grant you <em>three</em> wishes."</p><p>"What… not just one wish?" Krillin murmured absently, eliciting a snarl from Vegeta. The Saiyan Prince stepped closer to the bald man, and grabbed him by his vest.</p><p>"We are wasting time here!" He snapped, annoyed, his eyes blazing into Krillin's. "We have to use the Dragon Balls now, before it's too late!"</p><p>Krillin could feel Vegeta's hand burning hot near his chest, and he could tell by the look on his face he was both enraged, and scared about the situation. He glanced at Gohan, who was already staring at Krillin, ready to follow his instruction. Krillin sighed heavily. If what Nail had said was true, and the Dragon would indeed grant them three wishes, maybe they could find a way to stop Vegeta after he could become immortal.</p><p>"Gohan," Krillin murmured seriously. "Grab the Dragon Ball we brought here," he said, ignoring Vegeta's lethal glare. Gohan quickly nodded at his words, then ran inside Master Guru's home to grab the huge sphere. Krillin returned his gaze to Vegeta. "You don't give orders here, Vegeta. You try anything funny, and the deal is off, you got it?"</p><p>Vegeta snorted at him derisively, before Gohan appeared outside again, holding the Dragon Balls cradled under both of his arms. Krillin glanced at the young boy. "Let's go, then." He said, before blasting away at full speed, followed by Vegeta and Gohan.</p><p>"<em>Just fly as fast as you can!"</em> Vegeta yelled, right behind Krillin, the three of them flying towards the place Krillin and Gohan had hidden the five Dragon Balls they'd stolen from Freeza's ship.</p><p>Not much longer after that, they all sensed the power levels becoming more stronger with each minute that passed by. Then, a huge force struck the planet, making intense reverberations on the ground.</p><p>"<em>They've landed!"</em> Vegeta yelled at Krillin, who looked at him with wide eyes.</p><p>"<em>We're almost there!"</em> the bald man screamed back, speeding up so that they could get to their location faster. They finally reached the place of the hidden Dragon Balls after a while.</p><p>They all landed on the ground and Vegeta glanced around to see where the spheres were. Then, the five golden artifacts finally shone in his sight.</p><p>"There!" Vegeta exclaimed, running towards the hidden Dragon Balls, and placing the one he was holding on the ground. "Now, just hand me the seventh one so I can have my wish granted!" He turned around, noticing that none of them were moving to hand him the last Dragon Ball. <em>"What are you waiting for?!"</em></p><p>"Suddenly, this doesn't seem like a good plan," Krillin murmured, his fearful gaze locked onto Vegeta. "Maybe we should take our chances, instead of letting him use our wish," he murmured to Gohan, not knowing Vegeta was able to hear him.</p><p>"This isn't a game!" Vegeta seethed, stepping closer to them. <em>"Give me that ball!"</em> He yelled, but Krillin only shook his head. "I'm losing my patience!" Vegeta taunted, raising his deadly glowing hand, aiming to attack Krillin, and steal the last Dragon Ball.</p><p>However, before he could do anything, they all felt someone landing behind them. They turned around; startled, as they were now facing a purple-skinned, muscular, bald alien with horns, standing right next to the six Dragon Balls on the ground. Not longer after that, four more aliens showed up next to him, and they were all wearing the same uniform as the purple one.</p><p>"Hello, Vegeta," Captain Ginyu said.</p><hr/><p>Bulma was driving her hover motorcycle, trying to find Vegeta, Gohan, or Krillin, in what seemed to be an impossible task, given the events.<em> "Where are you!?"</em> Bulma screamed, angrily.</p><p>"Damn it! Why am I even doing this?" Bulma murmured to herself absently. "I could've just called it a day, and stayed at the cave, it's not like they didn't know where to find me! But of course, they wouldn't return, they would only appear if they needed <em>tech support!"</em></p><p>Bulma bit her lower lip, trying to find her friends in the wide open grass field. Her mind was spinning, filled with her neverending thoughts and worries.</p><p>However, a certain Saiyan Prince was at about the forefront of her mind at that moment. She couldn't stop thinking how he would only stare, and bark orders at her, while talking about his pride and immortality; only to make her angry and yell at him about how <em>arrogant </em>he was. And then, out of nowhere, he would unexpectedly say something that would completely make her forget that he was a <em>stupid warmonger</em>, but actually a noble warrior that fought too many battles under someone else's rules.</p><p>All of a sudden, she heard an explosion booming not far from her, taking her away completely from her wonders.</p><p>"Where there's an explosion, there's Vegeta," She murmured, with a big grin upon her lips, before charging at maximum speed towards the center of the explosion.</p><p>"C'mon, almost there!" she cheered to herself, pressing the hovercycle to go faster. She could see the black smoke forming over a valley ahead of her. It had to be the place where the fight was playing out.</p><p>Once she was close enough, she noticed a group of six men in the valley. She couldn't see exactly who they were, though. She stopped her hovercraft at a fair distance, and jumped off it, trying her best to stay concealed from them. She clicked open the lid of the green capsule she was holding, and in the next second, her hover motorcycle was nowhere to be seen.</p><p>She crawled down the rocks, trying to find a better position to watch the fight. She didn't want to risk a chance of jumping into a fight, only to realize that neither Vegeta nor her friends were there. She needed to be careful.</p><p>She was very close to the battlefield; she could hear the horrible sound of bones cracking, and the earth shaking beneath her, with each immense attack by the fighters. She breathed heavily, and quickly popped her head over the edge of a rock to see better. Her mouth fell open in despair, at the terrible scene right in front of her very eyes.</p><p>Vegeta was at the center of the field, and he looked beaten up and exhausted by the fight he was having with a semi-bald man, that was almost three times his size. The Saiyan Prince was breathing heavily, and he had cuts and bruises all over his face, and skin showing through his even more broken armor, trickles of blood streaming down his temples and cheeks.</p><p>Bulma couldn't believe what she was watching. How could Vegeta be so beaten up like that, again? It didn't seem like he had just been healed a few hours earlier that day. She glanced around the field ahead of her location, able to see Krillin and Gohan as well.</p><p>"Guys, why are you not helping Vegeta…" she murmured under her breath, trying to understand what was going on. Looking even further away from where Vegeta and the big, ugly guy were, she saw two other aliens watching the fight. One of them was red-skinned and had voluminous white hair, while the other one was blue, and his face reminded her of a reptile, or some other unpleasant creature. They all were wearing the same uniform.</p><p>"You see, Vegeta," the big guy said, while raising his arms in the air and striking a pose. "You are not strong enough to beat Recoome" he said, before spinning around on the ground. "Recoome is going to kill you."</p><p>Bulma quickly realized that the big guy was talking about himself in the third person. And more terrifying than that, he was talking about <em>killing</em> Vegeta.</p><p>"No… not again," Bulma murmured, feeling her heartbeat pulsing in her throat. She needed to do something. If Vegeta was not able to beat that guy, Gohan and Krillin wouldn't have a chance either.</p><p>She quickly turned around, and searched for her capsules in the front pocket of her vest. She quickly grabbed the red one, and tossed it on the ground, revealing before her, a large machine gun, and a backpack. She quickly grabbed the gun, only then realizing that the gun had a bullet belt attached to the backpack, and the word 'Bulma' written on the side of the gun.</p><p>"Father said that he'd put a gun within my capsules, but I wasn't expecting one this <em>big</em>," she murmured absently, glancing proudly at her weapon. "But I guess… when you're fighting aliens, it's better to be safe than sorry," she murmured, adjusting the backpack's strap over her shoulder to secure the machine gun properly on her torso, while holding the large grip of it with both hands.</p><p>She turned on her heels, storming closer to the fighting field, aiming her machine gun at Recoome.</p><p>"<em>Hey you, ugly!"</em> Bulma's screaming was heard by all of them, who quickly turned their heads to see her coming, holding a big gun ready to fire. <em>"Eat this!"</em> She yelled, before raining a stream of bullets on Recoome.</p><p>"<em>Gohan! Duck!"</em> Krillin screamed, pushing Gohan to the ground, trying to cover their heads in order to avoid getting hit by stray bullets. <em>"Oh Kami! If this wasn't bad enough already, Bulma might actually </em><em><strong>kill</strong></em><em> us!"</em></p><p>Bulma kept shooting at Recoome, screaming vigorously, her body trying to compensate for the jarring recoil of the gun. Each shot produced a huge flash of light, followed by an incredibly loud, blasting sound. She kept shooting, screaming, as a grey smoke was forming around the fields, covering the entire atmosphere, not allowing Bulma to see that Vegeta was baffled, staring at her with wide, unbelieving eyes.</p><p>"<em>Krillin? What's going on!?"</em> Gohan screamed, through the deafening sounds of the machine gun fire.</p><p>"<em>Bulma's </em><em><strong>finally</strong></em><em> lost it, Gohan!"</em> Krillin shouted back, his eyes squeezed shut. <em>"Stay still!"</em></p><p>A few moments later, the gun had stopped shooting. "Come on, come on, don't fail me now!" Bulma yelled angrily, unable to shoot anymore. She was breathless, able to feel the adrenaline rush going throughout her entire body. "I hope this is enough," she said proudly, looking eagerly at the battlefield, now covered in smoke, trying to see if her enemy had survived. The grey smoke slowly dissipated, revealing a barely touched Recoome on the other side.</p><p>Bulma gasped, not believing in her eyes.</p><p>Recoome glanced at Bulma, snickering at her. "That tickles," he said bluntly. "That did nothing against Recoome."</p><p>Bulma whimpered, slowly taking a step back, as her limbs were starting to become numb.</p><p>"Let Recoome show you how it's done,"</p><p>Bulma stared like a deer in the headlights, understanding completely what he meant. <em>Shit, shit, shit!</em> He was going to kill her; all her efforts were in vain. She saw the big man getting into his fight stance, not before performing a weird dance and throwing his hands in the air again. He stared straight at Bulma, opening his mouth at an inhuman angle.</p><p>From the other side of the battle, Vegeta saw what was about to happen. He knew Recoome was going to kill Bulma effortlessly, but Vegeta could also feel that his whole body was exhausted from the fight. He doubted he could dash himself towards Bulma in time to save them both. But he <em>needed</em> to try.</p><p>Recoome screamed his attack, and Bulma squeezed her eyes shut, preparing herself for the end.</p><p>"ERASER GU-"</p><p>Everything happened very fast. One second Bulma was preparing herself to be killed, and in the next one, she had been pushed away by Gohan, who appeared from nowhere to save her. Vegeta didn't have time to do anything, he just watched as Gohan saved Bulma, while Krillin punched Recoome right on top of his head, making the laser explode inside Recoome's mouth, crunching his teeth violently.</p><p>Bulma was tossed by Gohan, over near Vegeta. She tried to turn around, pulling off the straps of her machine gun.</p><p>"<em>Bulma, get out of here!"</em> Gohan yelled to her, as he quickly dashed away to join Krillin in his fight against Recoome. Bulma glanced at Vegeta, who was still staring at her.</p><p>"What do you think you are doing?!" He sneered, breathlessly, watching as she crawled closer to him. She frowned at him in annoyance.</p><p>"I was trying to help you guys!" She yelled angrily at him. "You idiot, you ran away with the Dragon Ball and I was trying to catch you again!"</p><p>Vegeta raised an eyebrow. "<em>Really?</em> And you were planning on using that <em>useless</em> gun on me as well?" He murmured wryly at her, staring deeply into her eyes.</p><p>"Only if you didn't cooperate!"</p><p>"<em>You're a fool!"</em> Vegeta snapped, making Bulma blink, balking at his words. "You brought a gun to a fight, where everybody is <em>bulletproof</em>. The only thing you hope to accomplish with this is death!"</p><p>Bulma was about to counter his comment, however, a cracking sound got her attention first. She turned her head to see what was happening, only in time to watch Krillin being severely injured by a kick Recoome plunged into his stomach. Bulma whimpered at the scene, her terrified eyes following Krillin until his body dropped heavily onto the ground.</p><p>"<em>Krillin!"</em> Gohan cried out, running over to his fallen friend. Krillin was beaten up badly from the fight, wheezing with each breath, his eyes squeezed shut painfully from the aches he felt all throughout his body.</p><p>"Go-Gohan… get out of… here. Get away… from that guy," Krillin said under his breath, his broken ribs, and multitudes of injuries making it a struggle for him to even talk. Gohan shook his head sharply, glancing at Recoome one more time.</p><p>"I <strong>can't</strong> give up! How are we going to wish Piccolo and the others back to this dimension?" Gohan shouted to Krillin, before jumping into the air, and flying straight towards the big guy, aiming to punch him under his chin.</p><p>Recoome dodged the attack quickly, making Gohan fall into the dirt. Recoome laughed at the little boy's attempts.</p><p>"You missed me," Recoome taunted Gohan. "Now, it's my turn!"</p><p>"<em>I won't give up!"</em> Gohan screamed, his whole body trembling from the pain. He dashed one more time towards Recoome. However, the bigger warrior was faster, and with a simple and sharp attack, he was able to make a direct hit, snapping Gohan's neck. A horrific cracking noise sounded in the air, and in the next second, Gohan fell onto the ground, his body, inert.</p><p>"<em>Gohan… no!"</em> Krillin's voice cracked, his pain, audible in the air.</p><p>Bulma couldn't believe what she was witnessing. She could feel her tears streaming down her face as she watched Gohan's inert form, unmoving on the ground.<em> He couldn't be dead! </em>It would be her fault. Without even thinking, she tried to grab her gun again, but was held back by Vegeta</p><p>"You will die," Vegeta murmured to her with a serious tone. She knew she couldn't do anything about it, but she had to try; she couldn't stand seeing Gohan getting beaten up. She fell on the ground, leaning closer to Vegeta, grabbing his right arm while she sobbed silently near him. Her hands were trembling uncontrollably, her heart aching inside her chest.</p><p>Vegeta could feel her sobbing as she grabbed his arm firmly, unable to pull out of her grasp. He quickly glanced at her with his peripheral vision, noticing the tears damping her cheeks.</p><p>"Now, Vegeta," Recoome's voice brought both Bulma and Vegeta back to reality. They turned their heads in time to see Recoome approaching them. "Now it's <em>your</em> turn to die, along with that weak <em>thing</em> next to you."</p><p>Bulma knew that it was her end. Vegeta was very wounded, and she doubted he could fight against Recoome. If he was smart, he would leave her behind as a distraction, so he could have a chance to escape.</p><p>However, to her total surprise, she felt Vegeta holding her left arm, while he pulled her behind him, moving his weak body slightly in front of her, shielding her entire body with his own.</p><p>He was protecting her from the next attack.</p><p>A flush of hatred and warmth washed up inside her chest. They were going to die, and only now, he was choosing to be a prince.</p><p>"Vegeta…" Bulma murmured under her breath, holding his shoulders firmly. She watched as he breathed heavily, staring deeply into Recoome's eyes, ready for the attack.</p><p>'<em>BOOM!'</em></p><p>They all turned their heads around to see where the big explosion that had just happened occurred.</p><p>"What was that?" Jeice shouted at his comrade Burter, who shrugged at his comment. Recoome seemed confused as well. However, before any of them could start asking more questions, another figure appeared in the middle of the fighting field. Bulma blinked a few times as soon as she recognized who it was.</p><p>"Goku…" she murmured softly, still holding Vegeta's shoulders, as tears of joy began to fill her big, blue eyes.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>A/N: Just to make it clear, all the fights with the Ginyu Force (Captain Ginyu gathering all seven Dragon Balls to deliver them to Freeza, Guldo fighting against Gohan and Krillin, Vegeta helping them and killing Guldo and the beginning of the fight between Vegeta and Recoome) happened the same as the canon here in this story. I didn't think that writing them down exactly the same would add any good to the pacing of the fic. So, I left them 'off-screen' and just included the parts I changed a bit. ;) I hope you guys liked it! </strong>
  <strong>Thanks so much for everyone that reviewed, followed, favorited, left kudos and read the fic!</strong>
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  <strong>This chapter was beta'd by the amazing RoyalBlueRoses!</strong>
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  <strong>Reviews are always welcome and much appreciated! Thank you so much in advance to anyone who takes the time to write one!</strong>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8 – The Ginyu Force – Part 2</h2></a>
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    <p><em><strong>Author:</strong></em> Becky L. Sly<br/><em><strong>Title: </strong></em>What If: Namek<br/><em><strong>Genre: </strong></em>Romance/Adventure<br/><em><strong>Rating: </strong></em>T (there will be cusswords, violence and some non-explicit sexual situations that may not be appropriate for all readers)</p><p>
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    <strong>I just own the plot. All characters belong to Funimation, Toei Animation, and Akira Toriyama.</strong>
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  <strong>Chapter 8 – The Ginyu Force – Part 2</strong>
</p><p>Bulma could feel warmth blossoming in her chest with fondness as the sight of her oldest friend came to sight. Goku had finally arrived on Planet Namek, which reassured her that they all would be safe now.</p><p>"Oh, Goku," Bulma murmured tenderly under her breath, as a grin spread upon her lips. "You've come to save me," she continued absently, not noticing Vegeta glancing briefly at her, before diverting his eyes with a bitter expression.</p><p>"Kakarot, of course," Vegeta sneered wryly. "So, he finally decided to show up." The Saiyan Prince followed Goku's movement with his obsidian eyes, seeing how the fighter walked fearlessly across the battlefield, heading directly towards Gohan's inert body on the ground.</p><p>Goku glanced at Gohan on the ground, sensing that the poor child's energy was almost gone. The fighter kneeled near his son, and quickly reached for a Senzu Bean.</p><p>"Gohan, son?" Goku murmured, picking up the boy from the ground and bringing him carefully closer to his own body, noticing all the injuries imprinted all over the little boy's body. "Don't you worry. You'll be feeling good in no time," Goku whispered tenderly, taking the small Senzu Bean and putting it gently inside Gohan's mouth.</p><p>Not a second after that, Gohan blinked his eyes a few times in surprise, the excruciating pain was gone completely. He glanced up, and found his father's gentle eyes staring at him worriedly.</p><p>"<em>Daddy, it's really you?!"</em> Gohan's voice cracked, his eyes beaming with excitement. Goku smiled dearly at him.</p><p>"Hey, it's good to see you too, son," The fighter said, helping Gohan to stand up, while straightening out the boy's garments, trying to clean off all the dust and dirt from his clothing. "If your mother sees you like this, she'll kill me!" he murmured, adjusting Gohan's collar properly.</p><p>"Those guys are super powerful, dad." The little boy's voice brought Goku back from his worried thoughts.</p><p>"I know," Goku said bluntly. "I'm proud of you son. But now, let me take care of this, alright?" He murmured, eliciting a hesitant nod from his son. They both started to walk slowly towards Krillin, not noticing the startled gaze coming from the Ginyu Force towards the sight of them.</p><p>Goku suddenly glanced to his side, noting that Vegeta was also there, and Bulma was behind him, holding his shoulders. The interesting scene made Goku freeze in place for a moment.</p><p>"Vegeta looks to be in pretty bad shape, too," Goku muttered absently, diverting his eyes from the Saiyan warrior and glancing at Bulma, who was staring at him with big eyes. "What happened to him?" he asked Gohan.</p><p>"He fought the big guy, like we all did," Gohan said under his breath resentfully. "And then, Bulma showed up and tried to help us."</p><p>Goku widened his eyes at the remark. "<em>Bulma? </em>Now, that's something I wasn't expecting," Goku said absently, stepping closer to Krillin's body on the ground.</p><p>"It was pretty terrifying," Krillin murmured under his breath, trying to raise his head slightly to get a better view of his friend. He found Goku, smiling down at him.</p><p>"Those weird guys?" Goku asked, surprised, while pointing at Recoome</p><p>"Bulma," Krillin answered bluntly.</p><p>"Don't worry. I have just what the doctor prescribed," Goku kneeled next to his bald friend, helping Krillin to eat the magic bean as well. And, just like Gohan, a few seconds later, Krillin was all healed, back on his feet.</p><p>"Those Ginyu guys over there, they're just <em>too</em> powerful," the bald man grumbled, glancing at his friends. "Vegeta warned us about them. He couldn't beat them, even with him being stronger than ever"</p><p>"Yeah, about Vegeta…" Goku said, gazing at the strange sight of Vegeta and Bulma a few meters away from them. "What's he doing here? And why is Bulma with him?"</p><p>Krillin sighed heavily, also glancing towards their direction. "Where do I begin? It's been <em>crazy</em> here for the last few days, you really wanna know?"</p><p>"Don't speak," Goku said bluntly, placing his hand over Krillin's head. "This will be a lot faster," he grinned at Krillin, and then he read his mind. All the past events showed up in his head, making it pretty clear all that had happened since they landed on Namek.</p><p>From the other side of the field, Bulma and Vegeta watched how Goku talked with his friends, and glanced at them once in a while, without giving Bulma a single word.</p><p>"Haven't he noticed that <em>I</em>'m right here?" she hissed, annoyed, narrowing her eyes at the sight of the warrior touching Krillin's bald head. She quickly got up from the ground, placing her hand on her hip stubbornly, still standing behind Vegeta.</p><p>"<em>Hey, Goku!"</em> She screamed, her loud voice echoing across the field, startling everyone in sight. <em>"Aren't you forgetting someone?"</em> she yelled, angrily.</p><p>Goku's eyes widened, startled. He scratched the back of his head nervously, taking quick glances back at his blue-haired friend. "Hey, Bulma! How... is everything going over there...?" He asked her awkwardly.</p><p>"<em>I'm fine, but hurry up! Give </em><em><strong>Vegeta</strong></em><em> a Senzu Bean as well!"</em> She screamed, making everyone glance back at her with wide eyes.</p><p>Krillin eyed Goku with a hesitant gaze, clearing his throat before speaking. "I'm telling you, Bulma must have hit her head or something. Maybe you should give <em>her</em> a Senzu Bean, or something..."</p><p>From the other side of the field, Bulma's yells echoed until they hit Krillin's ears. "<em>I can hear you, Krillin!</em>"</p><p>"Help me, Goku…" Krillin whimpered, taking a step back at the sight of his terrifying friend.</p><p>Bulma crossed her arms angrily over her chest, narrowing her eyes. "Goku, I am sure about what I'm asking! <em>Give it to Vegeta already!</em>"</p><p>Goku considered her words for a short time, before gazing at the Saiyan Prince. <em>"Hey, Vegeta! Catch this!"</em> he shouted, before throwing a small bean toward the direction of the warrior, who grabbed it out of the air effortlessly. However, before Vegeta could do anything, he glanced at Bulma suspiciously.</p><p>Noticing him hesitate for a moment, Bulma touched his shoulder softly as she smiled at him. "You should eat it. It'll heal you," she gently said, watching as the warrior considered her suggestion for a brief moment, before deciding to follow her instructions and eat the magical bean.</p><p>Vegeta couldn't believe what he was feeling. It was a matter of seconds before his whole body was healed from his injuries. And not only that, but he could also feel his strength growing anew inside him. Every fiber of his body was stronger than before, and he became stronger than ever.</p><p>He glanced at Bulma with quizzical eyes, and she smiled back at him, noticing that he was fully healed again. She glanced back at Goku, nodding her head at him, a bright smile still upon her lips.</p><p>"Bulma really cares about Vegeta, hm?" Goku murmured to himself, absently.</p><p>"Yeah," Krillin said bitterly. "Let's just say that Bulma has spent quite some time with that guy."</p><p>"But… I guess I owed him this favor. He saved her, as well as you both, right?" Goku said, turning to face Krillin and Gohan, who widened their eyes at his remark.</p><p>"Well, I think so," Krillin murmured, scratching at his own bald head. He quickly noticed Goku walking away from them, straight towards Recoome. Both Krillin and Gohan were startled by his change in attitude.</p><p>"What are you doing?" Krillin screamed, his eyes following his friend's every step.</p><p>"I'm going to teach this Ginyu Force a lesson," the fighter said seriously, not diverting his eyes from his target. He walked towards Recoome, looking the big oaf directly in his eyes, his face hardened into a stern expression.</p><p>"Goku's gonna beat that ugly guy up!" Bulma said under her breath cheerfully, her eyes fixed on the fight ready to start before her. Vegeta heard Bulma's soft spoken words, and was quietly considering them. He could feel that Kakarot was suppressing his power-level, and somehow, he could also tell that he was stronger than when they fought on Earth. The extension of his strength, however, was still dubious for Vegeta.</p><p>Suddenly Vegeta felt a glimpse of Kakarot's hidden power and gasped at the shocking revelation hitting him. "No… could he be?" He stammered to himself, earning a frown from Bulma.</p><p>"What?" she asked him, glancing at his face and finding with surprise, a worried expression on his tightened features. However, before Vegeta could answer her question, Recoome performed a weird dance, before dashing towards Goku, aiming to defeat the newcomer. Bulma held her breath, preparing her heart for the next sequence of attacks.</p><p>To her total surprise, however, what she saw caught her completely off guard. With only one punch, Goku was able to stop Recoome's attack. The big man coughed hoarsely; blood splattering out of his mouth. She blinked a few times, trying to understand what had just happened so fast before her very eyes.</p><p>And just with a sharp punch, Goku overpowered Recoome, who dropped heavily to the ground.</p><p>"Take that, you ugly man!" Bulma cheered excitedly, as if she were watching a sports event, or something to that effect. "See Vegeta? We have nothing to worry about, Goku finished that guy effortlessly," Bulma whispered, feeling her heavy heart lightening slightly inside her chest. "I knew Goku would save us all!"</p><p>Vegeta gasped in disgust. "That's… impossible. He <em>couldn't</em> be the legendary Super Saiyan," Vegeta grunted angrily, making Bulma glance at him one more time.</p><p>"What are you talking to yourself about?" She asked him, annoyed, watching as he drew his eyebrows low, intently observing the scene before them. "What is a Super Saiyan?"</p><p>Vegeta sighed heavily before he continued speaking. "The last Super Saiyan supposedly existed a hundred thousand years ago," Vegeta murmured seriously, not diverting his eyes from Goku. "That was nothing but a legend, though, and I never quite believed it to be true," he said, while Bulma listened to his words mindfully, her big blue eyes fixed on him.</p><p>"But… what <em>is</em> a Super Saiyan?" she insisted, making Vegeta finally glance back at her.</p><p>"According to the legends, the legendary Super Saiyan was the most powerful warrior in the universe. There was no match against him. His power was extraordinary. However, eventually, he couldn't control his own strength, which took control over all his body and mind, leaving him to forever perish on."</p><p>"That sounds… pretty terrifying." Bulma considered his explanation for a moment, glancing back at Goku as a recent worry came to mind. She bit her lower lip before speaking. "Do you think Goku is the legendary Super Saiyan?"</p><p>Vegeta's eyes widened incredulously at her question, glowering at her. "Don't be ridiculous," he hissed harshly, making Bulma blink, balking at his words. "There's no way a third-class warrior like <em>him</em> could achieve that kind of power,"</p><p>She frowned at him, annoyed. "You were the one grumbling about it! I only asked the obvious question since Goku was the one that beat that guy with only one punch, you jerk!" she hissed and Vegeta diverted his eyes from her.</p><p>"Let's see if Kakarot can defeat both Jeice and Burter alone, then," Vegeta grunted huskily, watching as the other Saiyan walked towards the remaining Ginyu Force.</p><hr/><p>"You've all been deceiving yourselves. This fight is fruitless." Goku said as he dropped Burter's inert body on the ground with a thud, glancing over towards Jeice's direction. "Listen, it's not too late to leave this Planet."</p><p>Vegeta could not believe what he was hearing. <em>"DON'T BE A FOOL, KAKAROT!" </em>The Saiyan Prince yelled angrily from the other side of the field,<em> "They destroyed more men than you can count!"</em></p><p>From the last twenty minutes, Vegeta has witnessed Goku's new strength being used against the Ginyu Force. He had managed to avoid every attack effortlessly, displaying such a power that Vegeta was unaware existed before. He could feel his anger boiling inside his heart, the jealously eating away inside his mind souring his mood.</p><p>And yet, the foolish Saiyan was choosing to be merciful towards those bastards. This kind of ignorance was unacceptable to the Saiyan Prince.</p><p>"Aren't you forgetting something, Vegeta?" Goku taunted him from distance. "We let <em>you</em> leave on Earth. Don't you think they deserve the same chance?"</p><p>Vegeta spat on the ground, growling at the Saiyan before him. Bulma watched the fighting from behind Vegeta. The whole time she could tell how annoyed Vegeta seemed to be. Deep inside, she had a feeling that whatever that Super Saiyan thing was, Vegeta was definitely watching closely for hints of it on Goku.</p><p>However, before they could continue their arguing, Jeice's voice brought them all back to reality. They all looked up at the red-skinned alien, in time to see him flying away from the battlefield, screaming something inaudible before disappearing completely from sight.</p><p>As the area seemed to finally clear, Bulma stepped towards Goku, relieved that the battle was over.</p><p>"Goku, I'm so happy that you're here!" She exclaimed excitedly, warmly embracing the tall fighter. "You finished those guys like they were <em>nothing!</em> I bet you're stronger than ever!"</p><p>Goku snickered at her compliments. "That was nothing. I'm sure they'll recover from that. They were good fighters, but their character was weak…"</p><p>Before Goku could finish his sentence, they all heard a loud cracking sound behind them. Bulma and Goku quickly turned around to see what happened, finding Vegeta kneeling down on Burter's throat, breaking his neck with his violent action.</p><p>"<em>Vegeta, no!"</em> Goku yelled, surprised. <em>"Vegeta, that's enough!"</em></p><p>Vegeta ignored Goku's scolding, glancing at Recoome's body. As quickly as before, he aimed his right hand towards his direction, shooting a huge blast over at the body lying on the ground, disintegrating it completely before everyone's eyes.</p><p>"What's your deal? You received mercy but you can't give it back!" Goku shouted angrily at the Saiyan Prince. "Too bad, I was hoping you'd changed!"</p><p>Vegeta spat on the ground before speaking, his blazing eyes fueled by rage. "They don't deserve any favors. They're scums, Kakarot, believe me."</p><p>Goku frowned for a moment, listening to Vegeta's bitter words.</p><p>"Would they have been merciful towards your son, and your friends?" Vegeta sneered, his eyes darker than before. "If you arrived ten minutes later, they would be all dead by now."</p><p>Everyone stared at Vegeta speechlessly, all startled by his statement.</p><p>"You're too soft to be a Saiyan," Vegeta hissed coldly. "They could have used your son against you, held your child hostage so they could toy with you like a helpless lamb. These people are ruthless savages, Kakarot. They are <em>warriors</em>, and they <em>will</em> do whatever it takes to win the game."</p><p>"I was worried for nothing," Vegeta continued somberly. "You are clearly too soft to be a Super Saiyan. You'll end up dead, unless you start putting everything but your power and pride behind".</p><p>Bulma sighed heavily as Vegeta's words unintentionally reached deep inside her heart. Her mind went back to the cave where he had kept her hidden, remembering his words, and realizing how he was repeating himself again. She knew that what he was saying was right, and if Goku hadn't arrived at the right time, they would all be history right now.</p><p>Vegeta knew what he was talking about because he himself was a warrior too. He would do whatever it takes to survive in the universe. However, a stunning realization hit Bulma all of the sudden, as she remembered that in his supposedly last moment of life, he had chosen to<em> stay</em>, and <em>shield </em>her from Recoome's attack.</p><p>An unsettling sensation washed all over her heart, as she glanced at Vegeta tenderly. However, before she could correctly process what she was feeling, Krillin's voice brought her back down to earth.</p><p>"Excuse me… I hate to interrupt your conversation, but don't we have more urgent problems to be concerned about?"</p><p>Vegeta's mouth curled in a snarl and his brows drew low. "Freeza is the biggest concern right now. And if I don't know any better, he's probably immortal by now."</p><p>Bulma frowned at the remark, as a curious thought occurred to her. "I don't think Freeza <em>has</em> used that Dragon Balls yet," she said seriously, eliciting a gasp from Vegeta.</p><p>"<em>Why not?!"</em></p><p>"On Earth, when we summon the Dragon, a lot of crazy stuff starts to happen," she murmured, as Vegeta gazed at her with wide eyes. "One thing that always happens, the sky turns pitch black," she pointed to the bright green sky above them. "That's why I don't think it happened yet."</p><p>He frowned at Bulma, walking slowly in her direction. "But <em>why</em> hasn't he used it yet? What's he waiting for?" he asked harshly, only earning a shrug from Bulma.</p><p>"I think I know why!" Goku's voice brought everyone's attention to him. "I bet he doesn't have the password!"</p><p>"<em>A password?</em> Then… there's still hope," Vegeta murmured to himself, but Bulma was able to hear his whispers. It was then that Vegeta felt two powerful beings flying towards their direction. He could guess who they were.</p><p>"Well, it looks like Kakarot's gracious gest has brought us not only Jeice back, but he also brought Captain Ginyu along with him," Vegeta hissed wryly, glaring at Goku condescendingly. "Feeling any regrets, are you?"</p><p>"Shut up, Vegeta!" Krillin shouted from behind the warriors. "We're here for you, Goku!"</p><p>"Wait for a second," Vegeta murmured under his breath, startled. "If Ginyu is <em>here</em>, then that means he left the Dragon Balls behind. And, since I can't feel Freeza at his ship…"</p><p>An idea occurred to mind, but Goku was faster, and spoke up before he could finish that thought.</p><p>"Gohan, you, Bulma, and Krillin should get out of here," Goku said seriously, sternly addressing his son and friends. "You should go after the Dragon Balls, while Vegeta and I fight against those guys."</p><p>Vegeta frowned at Goku's comment, who turned on his heels to face the Saiyan Prince. "I was hoping we could join our forces, if that's ok with you."</p><p>Bulma glanced at Vegeta, meeting his eyes for a brief moment before he diverted them. He glanced back at Goku, speaking in a deadpan voice. "Sure, why not."</p><p>"Right!" Krillin exclaimed, looking over to Bulma. "We can use your Dragon Ball radar to find them, Bulma," he said while reaching for the radar inside his gi, and bringing it out.</p><p>"Hey!" Bulma shouted angrily, and stormed towards Krillin, grabbing the radar roughly from his hands. "You stole this from me!"</p><p>Krillin smiled goofily at her. "You were taking care of Vegeta… I didn't want to disturb your girly plans!"</p><p>Bulma felt her cheeks burning furiously as her anger boiled up inside of her chest. The very next second, she cracked the palm of her hand right across Krillin's bald head, startling everyone around them.</p><p>"<em>Watch your words, Krillin!"</em> Bulma screamed angrily, her cheeks still burning red. Krillin massaged the injured area again, wondering if Bulma would hit <em>Vegeta</em> like that.</p><p>"Fine. Let's go find the Dragon Balls," Krillin grunted cheerlessly, turning on his heels to take off, as Bulma took hold of Gohan as he began to fly.</p><hr/><p>Gohan, Bulma, and Krillin flew in silence towards Freeza's ship, much to the fact that both adults were still refusing to talk to each other, while the poor Gohan was caught in the middle of their mutual silence.</p><p>The poor kid couldn't understand why Krillin always taunted Bulma, if he knew she would hit him every time.</p><p>"We're almost there," Bulma announced through the ruffling wind, making Gohan glance at her, and the Dragon Ball radar in her hands. Suddenly, Gohan felt a hint of energy coming towards them. He stopped his flight in mid-air, holding Bulma tightly.</p><p>"<em>What's happening?!"</em> Bulma asked, startled by his actions.</p><p>"I don't know… I felt someone coming towards us… but it's gone now."</p><p>Bulma swallowed hard at his comment. "Do... you think that it's... Freeza?!"</p><p>Gohan shook his head no at her, still trying to figure out who that energy was from. "No, I felt Freeza's energy before. That's not him."</p><p>"Hey, Gohan! Why are you stopped?" Krillin said, after noticing that the boy was meters behind him. He flew back at Gohan, worried about his sudden stop in flight.</p><p>"I don't know Krillin. I felt someone chasing us, but I can't feel it anymore."</p><p>Krillin frowned, not being able to feel the energy Gohan was talking about. "We better hurry up, then! We need to find the Dragon Balls before Freeza or someone else does!"</p><p>Gohan and Bulma nodded, and the three of them restarted their search for the Dragon Balls. Not much later after that, they finally reached the ship. Gohan and Krillin flew down to the ground, trying to suppress their energy, in order to avoid getting caught by anyone.</p><p>"It's even quieter than before," Krillin commented, looking around the area, noticing that no one was guarding the ship.</p><p>"I can't feel anyone's energy inside the ship, either..." Gohan murmured worriedly, not understanding why the place seemed so unnervingly calm.</p><p>"Guys, hurry up!" Bulma's urgent voice captured their attention. They glanced at the blue-haired woman, who was holding the radar tightly in her hands, while her eyes were scanning the ground. "I think they buried the Dragon Balls here!"</p><p>Gohan and Krillin ran towards Bulma, looking closely at the place on the ground she was pointing to. "Why would they bury the Dragon Balls here?" Krillin murmured, kneeling on the grass.</p><p>"Who cares? Let's start digging it out before someone else comes!" Bulma said, placing her hand over her hip, while using the other one put the radar in the back pocket of her pants.</p><p>What they didn't know was that someone <em>had</em> already reached their location. Peering from behind the ship's landing gear, Vegeta was watching the Earthling's efforts to search for the Dragon Balls.</p><p>Vegeta had left Goku alone to fight against Captain Ginyu and Jeice. The Saiyan Prince couldn't waste the opportunity of gathering all Dragon Balls again, knowing that they were unguarded at Freeza's ship. He was able to suppress his power level while flying toward them, and he was able to fly so fast that his presence was unnoticed by them.</p><p>"Weaklings," Vegeta murmured with a grin upon his lips.</p><p>Once he reached the ship, he did the dirty task of getting rid of everyone in sight, so that Freeza's minions couldn't interfere with his plan. Then, it was only a matter of time until the Earthling would arrive there and start their searching.</p><p>He knew that with Bulma and her Dragon Ball radar, they quickly would find the location of the Dragon Balls. And here he was, watching the foolish Earthlings doing all the work for him while Bulma was standing there, making demands over the other two.</p><p>"<em>You know, Bulma, you </em><em><strong>could</strong></em><em> help us here,"</em> Krillin grunted, while digging in the dirt with his bare hands, along with Gohan, while Bulma was only watching them work.</p><p>"<em>Hmph, and </em><em><strong>ruin</strong></em><em> my nail polish?"</em> She murmured, astonished, scrunching up her nose. "<em>You wouldn't </em><em><strong>dare</strong></em><em> put a lady, such as myself, through that kind of treatment, would you?"</em> She said softly, blinking her long eyelashes coyly at them.</p><p>Krillin grumbled at her comment. <em>"If by lady you meant </em><em><strong>psycho…</strong></em><em>" </em>However, before Krillin could conclude his thought, Bulma hit him with a stone she picked up from the ground. "<em>SEE?!</em>" Krillin yelled, annoyed at her, his hand on his aching forehead.</p><p>"<em>SHUT UP!</em>" Bulma yelled back, ignoring Gohan's astonished expression, gawking at the ridiculous acting adults again. "<em>Just keep digging!</em>"</p><p>Vegeta grinned at that, finding it amusing to see Bulma being so ruthless over the other ones. Not longer after that, Krillin and Gohan managed to find the Dragon Balls hidden deep in the earth. Once the golden spheres began to shine in their sight, Bulma helped them take out every single one of the seven Dragon Balls, placing them carefully on the ground.</p><p>"I can't believe we have them all!" Gohan exclaimed excitedly, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction, knowing that in no time, Mr. Piccolo and the others would be resurrected back to their dimension.</p><p>"Good work, guys!" Bulma yelled cheerfully, her heart full of joy with the sight of all seven Dragon Balls in front of them. "Let's make our wish and get out of this place!"</p><p>Krillin nodded at Bulma's words, and stepped closer to the gathered golden artifacts. He raised his arms up in the air, taking a deep breath before speaking up.</p><p>"<em>I summon the Dragon!"</em> Krillin shouted, his voice echoing across the open field. "I command you now! Hear me now, and make my wish come true!" Krillin finished his summoning, and after that, an awkward silence spread all over them when nothing happened in return to his pledges.</p><p>Bulma raised her eyebrow worriedly. "It didn't work? Why?!" she whimpered, her eyes scanning the Dragon Balls for any sign of the awakening Eternal Dragon. "Why the Dragon didn't show up?!"</p><p>Krillin glanced at Bulma with wide eyes. "No… no… Why isn't it working?!"</p><p>"Maybe you did it wrong, Krillin!" Bulma snapped, crossing her arms in front of her chest, annoyed. Krillin drew his eyebrows low to her condescending comment.</p><p>"Why don't <em>you</em> try it, then?" He seethed at her, angrily. "I'm not seeing you do <em>any </em>work here, Bulma!"</p><p>Bulma gasped at Krillin. "<em>Excuse me?</em> I've been through a lot in the last few days! If it weren't for <em>me</em>, we wouldn't even be here in the first place!" She yelled, before spitting her tongue out at Krillin, who growled at her.</p><p>Gohan sighed heavily as he watched the adults argue like children… <em>again</em>. He cleared his throat to get everybody's attention.</p><p>"Guys, you're not helping acting like that!" he scolded them both, who looked at the boy with baleful eyes. Gohan kept frowning at them, then, a possibility came to his mind. "Maybe the password was <em>wrong</em>. Maybe only the Namekians know the right one!"</p><p>Bulma blinked at his words, considering them for a moment. "I think you're right Gohan. But how are we going to find out the right password?"</p><p>"Wait!" Krillin suddenly said, while glancing up at the sky. "I think I'm sensing someone coming over here."</p><p>Bulma opened her mouth slightly, her heart beating fast. "Is it… Freeza?"</p><p>"I'm not sure," Gohan whispered, also tracking the same energy as Krillin. Bulma was startled, starting to feel her limbs going numb from fear.</p><p>"Well, maybe we should hide somewhere, then…?" She said, stepping back, away from the Dragon Balls, while she also glanced up at the sky, attempting to see what was coming, before it was too late.</p><p>The three of them moved away from the Dragon Balls, however, while Krillin and Gohan found a place to hide behind some rocks, Bulma kept running towards the ship. She knew Gohan and Krillin could fight back, but now, without any weapon, she felt defenseless.</p><p>Just as she almost reached the ship's ramp, Bulma felt someone pulling her arm, and before she could even scream with her sudden scare, she felt Vegeta pressing her body against the ship's landing gear, while covering her mouth with his hand. She glanced up at the Saiyan Prince, with owlish eyes.</p><p>"Vegeta… what are you doing here?" she whispered as soon as he freed her, trying to understand what was going on. Suddenly, the realization hit her as she thought about Goku. "Where's Goku?"</p><p>Vegeta grunted at her. "I left him behind to fight with Captain Ginyu," he bluntly said, and Bulma widened her eyes.</p><p>"<em>You </em><em><strong>left</strong></em><em> him alone?!</em>" she snapped, eliciting a simple shrug from the warrior.</p><p>"What? Weren't you the one saying that Kakarot is <em>so</em> powerful? Didn't you say he came here to save <em>you</em>?" He taunted her bitterly, his obsidian eyes staring deep into her eyes. "I had more important things to do, instead of helping that clown."</p><p>Bulma shook her head in disbelief, glowering at the man in front of her. However, before she could start yelling at him, something got Vegeta's attention. She turned her heels to see what was happening, and she was surprised to see Goku landing near the Dragon Balls, along with the red-skinned alien.</p><p>"Goku," she murmured softly, starting to walk towards his direction. However, Vegeta held her hand before she could reveal their location.</p><p>"Don't go over there," Vegeta murmured lowly, holding her hand firmly. Bulma turned to face him, finding his dark obsidian eyes staring at Goku, who was now looking at the Dragon Balls resting on the ground.</p><p>"Why not?" She asked harshly, raising her eyebrow. "Ashamed to see that Goku didn't need your help, after all?"</p><p>"This isn't time for your games, Bulma!" Vegeta glanced at her angrily, tossing her hand away. "Something seems odd with Kakarot." Vegeta diverted his eyes from Bulma, glancing again at the strange Saiyan in front of them. Suddenly, both Bulma and Vegeta heard Krillin laughing, and in the next minute, the bald man revealed his location from behind the rocks to greet Goku.</p><p>"Hey, Goku! It's me, Krillin" the bald warrior exclaimed, getting the attention of Goku as well as Jeice's. "We were really worried about you! What took you so long?"</p><p>Jeice snickered behind Goku, while the Saiyan grinned at Krillin. "Captain Ginyu was a worthy opponent," Goku said seriously, and Krillin frowned at him.</p><p>From behind the ship's landing gear, Vegeta could tell that something was not right about the scene before him. "You probably should run away while you can. You are useless here," he murmured to Bulma, while his eyes were fixed on the conversation ahead of them.</p><p>Bulma whined at his comment before curling her mouth in a snarl. "<em>Useless?!</em> How dare you say such a thing?"</p><p>"Well, maybe because you can't defend yourself?" Vegeta murmured huskily at her, clenching his fists, still not gazing into her eyes. "You are pathetically weak. So, try to stay out of the way."</p><p>Bulma stomped one foot angrily on the ground. "If I had my machine gun here, you wouldn't be so cocky right now!" she hissed, and Vegeta finally glanced at her, with a scowl upon his features.</p><p>"I've already told you, Bulma," he murmured, while he pulled her body behind his, giving her the lead to continue her walk towards the inside of the ship. "I'm bulletproof."</p><p>Vegeta left Bulma behind, while he walked closer to where Goku and Krillin were, so he could have a better understanding of what was going on. Without having much more to do, Bulma decided to follow his suggestions and got inside the ship before anyone would notice her.</p><p>Once she got inside the ship, she was welcomed with a horrific scene. Piles of dead bodies were all over the place, making a cold shiver run down her spine, as she concluded who had done such a thing.</p><p>"That's why this place was so quiet before," she murmured to herself, while she walked closer to a fallen guard. "Vegeta took care of them before we reach here."</p><p>She kneeled down and grabbed the guard's blaster. <em>He said he's bulletproof, but let's see if he's laser-proof</em>, she thought to herself, as she continued to walk through the ship. She reached the bridge and walked through the already destroyed door. Once she was inside the room, she was able to see through the broken front glass window what was going on.</p><p>Bulma dropped the blaster on the floor as she was startled with the fight displayed before her very eyes.</p><p>It seemed that Vegeta was right about Goku, once she saw he was fighting against his own son, and Krillin. Bulma couldn't believe what she was watching, and she didn't understand why Goku would attack his own child.</p><p>"Goku… what happened to you?" Bulma whimpered, her disbelieving eyes carefully following the fight happening in front of the ship. Suddenly, she saw another person approaching the battlefield. She narrowed her eyes, able to see a purple, bulky alien flying towards them. He was wearing the same uniform as Jeice, but seemed pretty injured, with a hole in his chest.</p><p>"Your trick won't work, Ginyu!" The purple alien said, glancing at Goku. And then, he glanced at both Krillin and Gohan, his voice cracking from exhaustion. <em>"Gohan, Krillin! Listen to me! He has taken over my body! It's me, Goku!"</em></p><p>Bulma gasped as she heard the same information herself. Somehow, Captain Ginyu had stolen Goku's body and now was using it to fight against everyone else!</p><p>"<em>Listen up, Gohan!"</em> Goku yelled from Captain Ginyu's body. <em>"You have to take him down! I know you can do it, son!" </em>For a moment, Gohan seemed unsure about what to do, seemingly conflicted about having to beat his own father. Seeing his hesitation, Goku returned to speak up. "Don't let his appearance fools you, Gohan! <em>He's </em><em><strong>not</strong></em><em> me!</em>"</p><p>Suddenly, determination hit Gohan right in the heart. He knew what he needed to do, and he needed to be brave enough to punch the monster donning his dad's appearance. He dashed towards Goku's body, punching Ginyu repeatedly, unleashing his own rage with every attack. Krillin quickly joined Gohan in his attempt to defeat Captain Ginyu inside Goku's body.</p><p>In the meantime, something else got Bulma's attention. She glanced at the ground, noticing that Vegeta finally decided to make his presence known, challenging Jeice to fight against him.</p><p>"Hello, mate," Vegeta murmured devilishly, startling the red alien. "Wanna fight with someone your size?" He taunted, a grin upon his lips, before dashing towards his opponent, aiming to hit Jeice with one of his quick punches.</p><p>Soon, both Vegeta and Jeice were out of Bulma's sight, and she could no longer see where they went. After a while, she heard some noises coming from inside the ship and quickly grabbed the blaster gun she had dropped on the floor.</p><p>She walked towards the entrance of the bridge, still hearing the noises. Once she stepped in the corridor, she was able to recognize that the noises were actually the punches and kicks of battle inside the ship. And then, she was startled by the sight of Jeice running straight in her direction.</p><p>She could feel her heart pulsing in her throat when his dark eyes glanced at her. Her hands started to shake and without having much time to think, Bulma raised her blaster up and aimed it towards Jeice. The blast hit the gas pipe of the ship, creating a huge cloud of smoke that surrounded the entire interior.</p><p>Bulma quickly covered her mouth and crawled away from the smoke, able to see Vegeta coming up towards them. Seeing that Jeice was distracted by the smoke, the Saiyan Prince took the opportunity to hit his opponent, blasting Jeice through the metal walls, and out of the ship.</p><p>Before going after Jeice to finish his job, Vegeta headed towards Bulma, grabbing her arm roughly, helping her to stand up from off the floor.</p><p>"<em>Don't get in my way!</em><em>"</em> He yelled angrily at her, before flying away, through the broken glass of the front window.</p><p>Bulma shook her head, trying to concentrate on what she needed to do. She ran away from the smoke and found a place to hide in the lower part of the ship's deck. She could still hear the fighting going on outside, and she just needed to wait until it was over.</p><p>Outside of the ship, Vegeta was able to finish Jeice with a single, powerful ki attack. He then turned his attention to the fight against Captain Ginyu that was still happening in mid-air.</p><p>Vegeta grinned to himself, taking the opportunity to fight against Goku's body, without being interrupted by his friends. He phased himself over Captain Ginyu, blasting over his stolen body. With a sharp attack, Vegeta was able to punch Goku's body straight up by his abdomen, hurtling him to the ground in a painful fall.</p><p>"That's enough, Vegeta!" Goku from Captain Ginyu's body screamed, glancing at the enraged Saiyan Prince. "He can't fight back!" Vegeta didn't listen to Goku's pleadings and instead, he flew towards the fallen body, aiming to eliminate both Goku, and Captain Ginyu in one strike.</p><p>Captain Ginyu snickered devilishly as Vegeta was hurtling towards him. Goku noticed his reaction, and he quickly understood his true intentions.</p><p>"CHANGE NOW!" Ginyu screamed, his mouth opening to an inhuman size, aimed at Vegeta. The Saiyan Prince stopped in mid-air, noticing that something was wrong. However, before Ginyu could hit Vegeta with his signature attack, Goku jumped in front of the light, getting himself hit instead of Vegeta.</p><p>Everyone was startled by what had just happened. Vegeta frowned at Goku's body on the ground, trying to understand what was going on. Goku laughed weakly on the ground, his whole body in excruciating pain. "Yeah… I did it! I've got my body back!" He smiled proudly.</p><p>"Hey, Krillin! My dad's back to his own body!" Vegeta heard Gohan exclaim happily behind him, confirming what had happened.</p><p>"So that means that Captain Ginyu is back to his old self!" Vegeta grunted under his breath, glancing at the injured purple alien on the ground. He then noticed how Goku tried to stand up and continue his fight, but he was too weak to perform any successful attack.</p><p>Seeing how Captain Ginyu was distracted by Goku's weakness, Vegeta took the opportunity to fly straight at him, aiming to finish the dancing enthusiast warrior once for all.</p><p>Ginyu glanced up at the sky, noticing Vegeta coming in his direction. He smiled at that; it was the perfect moment to use his technique again.</p><p>"CHANGE NOW!" Once again Ginyu screamed his attack, taking Vegeta off guard. The Saiyan Prince widened his eyes, staring at the light strike coming right at him.</p><p><em>How could I let this happen?</em> Vegeta thought to himself, as the strike was just mere inches away from his body. However, when he thought it was all over for him, he felt nothing different. Suddenly the attack had ended, and Vegeta was still in his own body.</p><p>Vegeta glanced at the ground, finding Captain Ginyu there, in what seemed to be an odd impression of a frog. "What… what happened?" The Saiyan Prince murmured, flying downward and approaching Ginyu, who was jumping away from the battlefield like a frog.</p><p>"I can't believe it worked!" Goku murmured, a small smile upon his weak lips. Krillin and Gohan flew straight after Goku, eager to see if he was okay from the fight. They helped Goku to stand up, securing his injured body from falling. "Remember Vegeta… You owe me a favor now," Goku smiled at the Saiyan Prince.</p><p>"Explain to me, Kakarot. What happened to Captain Ginyu?" Vegeta grunted, annoyed, crossing his arms in front of his chest.</p><p>Goku snickered cheerfully. "You don't get it, do you Vegeta?" He teased the other warrior, "Take a good look at the frog over there, and say hello to… Captain Ginyu!"</p><p>Vegeta's eyes widened, turning on his heels quickly to see the frog. "What? How can it be possible?"</p><p>"I threw that frog in the air, hoping it would get between you and Ginyu's attack," Goku murmured proudly, grinning at Vegeta. "Seems my plan worked out!"</p><p>Vegeta headed towards the huge, Namekian frog, smirking with the idea that it was actually Captain Ginyu trapped inside it. "Well, it looks like it's frog stomping time," he murmured somberly, raising his boot in the air. The frog, however, quickly hopped away from the terrifying Saiyan. "Get along, froggy," Vegeta mocked, smirking at the pathetic frog hopping away from him. "It's not like I want to have frog guts all over my boots."</p><p>"Guys, is everything okay?" Bulma's voice got Vegeta's attention, who glanced at the ship's ramp, noticing the blue-haired woman making her way down. Once the fight was over, Bulma concluded that she could leave her hiding place behind, and she smiled when she saw that there was no one else out there other than her friends.</p><p>Once she stepped on the ground, she was walking closer to Vegeta, when her eyes found him staring at her. She smiled at him, and for a brief moment, she could swear that she saw him smiling back.</p><p>However, before she could say anything, she felt a slippery and gooey thing climbing her leg. When she glanced down, she saw the huge, Namekian frog wrapped around her left leg.</p><p>"<em>Eeeeew!"</em> Bulma screamed loudly and she threw herself in the air, kicking the frog as far from her as she could, and climbing over Vegeta's body. <em>"That thing was disgusting!"</em></p><p>Vegeta instinctively held Bulma up, feeling the woman wrap around his torso with her legs, while her arms were around his face, shivering squeamishly. However, Vegeta sighed heavily as he realized that his nose was buried right between her breasts. He could feel his cheeks burning hot, as well as his whole body, with the alarming proximity of their bodies.</p><p>"Guys, what's going on?" Krillin's voice caught Vegeta off guard. Through Bulma's breasts, he was able to see Krillin and Gohan helping Goku to stand up. The three of them had quizzical faces, glancing at Bulma clinging to Vegeta's body.</p><p>"<em>Get off, woman!"</em> Vegeta hissed angrily at Bulma, ridding himself of her tight grip, and tossing her on the ground harshly, trying to conceal his reddened face from the Earthlings.</p><p>"Ouch!" Bulma shouted as she was dropped on the ground, falling onto her butt, then hearing the sound of glass breaking coming from her back pocket. She stood up from the grass, a scowl upon her face as she watched Vegeta walking away from them.</p><p>A few seconds later, Vegeta finally turned around, finding the four Earthlings staring at him, intrigued. Vegeta grunted before speaking. "Well, we don't have all day. Let's get inside so we can heal Kakarot."</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>A/N: </strong>
  <strong>I'm sorry for the lack of updates these last weeks, but I hope you've enjoyed this chapter! And with it, we're finally entering the third and last arc of the fic (I'm so excited! XD). </strong>
  <strong>Thanks so much for everyone that reviewed, followed, favorited and read the fic!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>This chapter was beta'd by the amazing RoyalBlueRoses!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Reviews are always welcome and much appreciated! Thank you so much in advance to anyone who takes the time to write one!</strong>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9 – The Eternal Dragon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em><strong>Author:</strong></em> Becky L. Sly<br/><em><strong>Title: </strong></em>What If: Namek<br/><em><strong>Genre: </strong></em>Romance/Adventure<br/><em><strong>Rating: </strong></em>T (there will be cusswords, violence and some non-explicit sexual situations that may not be appropriate for all readers)</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>I just own the plot. All characters belong to Funimation, Toei Animation, and Akira Toriyama.</strong>
  </em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>Chapter 9 – The Eternal Dragon</strong>
</p><p>"So… what did you call this machine again, Vegeta?" Krillin murmured to the Saiyan Prince, his concerned gaze fixed on Goku inside the healing chamber, observing as the water slowly covered his friend's entire body, a ventilator carefully attached over his nose and mouth.</p><p>After their final fight with Captain Ginyu, Vegeta had led the four Earthlings to the inside of Freeza's ship in order to heal Goku. At first, Krillin and Gohan seemed unconvinced about his offer, however, Bulma was the first to encourage them to follow Vegeta, and Goku quickly agreed with her.</p><p>"It's called a Regeneration Chamber," Vegeta answered coldly, also peering at Goku in the water. The younger Saiyan's hair floated and swayed as he became completely submerged inside the chamber. "It'll have Kakarot's strength back in no time."</p><p>Krillin and Gohan were in awe, watching their friend in the chamber, somehow feeling less worried now about Vegeta's intentions. Goku glanced back at his son and his friend, then his eyelids suddenly weighed heavily over his eyes. He closed his eyes slowly, allowing his weakened body to be comforted by the water's gentle motion, as it was treating his wounds both externally, and internally. It was barely noticeable, but he was already able to feel his body healing from the inside. It was nothing compared to a Senzu Bean, however, he was more than satisfied with that. Not to mention, there were no needles involved!</p><p>"Are you sure my dad's okay in there?" Gohan whispered, unsure, his little index finger gently tracing the glass of the chamber, as a worried expression settled upon his young features.</p><p>"The liquid inside is made up of a powerful regenerative substance," Vegeta murmured, diverting his eyes away from the chamber, then heading away from the Earthlings. "It'll penetrate every pore, healing him from the inside until his cells regenerate. If no one <em>interrupts</em> the process, he'll be just fine."</p><p>Krillin glanced at Vegeta over his shoulder. "That sounds cool… <em>and creepy</em>," he whispered the last bit to himself, noticing that Vegeta seemed to be looking for something. A startling revelation came to the bald warrior's mind suddenly. "<em>You </em>were inside one of these when we found you earlier here, right?"</p><p>"Yeah. And?" The Saiyan Prince asked wryly.</p><p>Krillin scratched his chin for a moment, remembering the day they came to rescue Vegeta. "So, Bulma probably took you out of one of them. That's why you were acting so strange once you came out? She stopped the process?"</p><p>Vegeta snorted something before closing the distance between him and Krillin, grabbing the small man by his gi and lifting him up from the floor slightly.</p><p>"Do you want to test me now, baldy?" He hissed angrily, his obsidian eyes glowering into Krillin's.</p><p>Krillin gasped in surprise, taking Vegeta's hand out of his gi with no resistance. "Kami, Vegeta! We can't even <em>talk</em> with you!" He barked angrily, stepping away from the angry Saiyan.</p><p>Vegeta crossed his arms over his chest, then Gohan caught his attention.</p><p>"Mister Vegeta… sir," Gohan murmured hesitantly, observing that Vegeta nodded for him to continue. "How long will it take until my father is fully healed?"</p><p>Vegeta sighed heavily, glancing one more time at Goku inside the chamber. "This chamber is an old model. It'll take more time than usual to heal him. But, I suppose it won't take longer than an hour or so."</p><p>"Old model?" Krillin questioned, walking closer to Gohan. "What happened to the new ones?"</p><p>Vegeta huffed at them. "Some <em>idiots </em>destroyed the other chambers back in the infirmary. We only have this one now."</p><p>Gohan and Krillin quickly glanced at each other, realizing that Vegeta was talking about them. They had made a massive explosion in the infirmary in order to create a distraction, like Vegeta had demanded. They didn't think back then that they would ever need to return to Freeza's ship, much less need to use some of the chambers that had exploded.</p><p>"<em><strong>You</strong></em><em> were the one asking for a big distraction!</em>" Krillin countered Vegeta bitterly, eliciting an apathetic shrug from the Saiyan.</p><p>"I suppose it doesn't matter anymore," Vegeta murmured absently, stepping away from them, and walking towards the corridor. Krillin frowned at Vegeta one more time, noticing that he had an unsettling expression upon his face, as if he was searching for something again.</p><p>However, before Krillin could ask himself what Vegeta was thinking, the Saiyan Prince returned to them</p><p>"Where did the Earth woman go?" he asked absently, not looking back. Krillin blinked a few times before understanding entirely what Vegeta was asking.</p><p>"Do you mean Bulma? I saw that she entered the ship with us," Krillin said, massaging the back of his neck for a moment. "I bet she's looking around the ship or something. She's probably not very far, though."</p><p>Vegeta hummed softly, considering Krillin's words for a moment, not able to see the bald man's quizzical expression as he stared at Vegeta's back. The fact was, ever since Vegeta had dropped Bulma on the ground after she jumped onto him to get away from the Namekian frog, the Saiyan Prince had this strange feeling that she was somehow <em>ignoring</em> him.</p><p>Suddenly, Vegeta turned on his heel, his attention back on the two Earthlings in front of him. "As for you two, I think a little upgrade from those tattered garments wouldn't hurt."</p><p>Gohan and Krillin gasped at Vegeta's words, not quite understanding what he meant. Without saying anything else, Vegeta turned his back on them once again, glancing over his shoulder for a brief moment, then giving them the signal to follow his lead.</p><p>Vegeta led them to another room, which looked similar to a changing room or something to that nature. The Saiyan Prince was being carefully followed by the Earthlings, who were taking their time to look around warily inside the alien ship. They noticed Vegeta stopping in front of what seemed to be a locker, and after entering a digital code on the wall panel, the locker door opened, revealing several of the uniforms units inside.</p><p>"Here. Put these on under your regular clothes," Vegeta muttered, tossing some navy-blue spandex garments to the floor for both Gohan and Krillin. Vegeta turned to the locker again, grabbing two pairs of white gloves and white boots, before tossing them on the floor as well. "Hurry up. We don't have much time."</p><p>The Earthlings nodded at his words, and quickly got undressed in front of Vegeta, trying their best to look as casual as possible. "I guess we should probably believe Bulma, and trust Vegeta with these things, don't you think, Gohan?" Krillin said while taking his gi off, and quickly grabbing the navy-blue spandex under armor on the floor, then pulling it over his body.</p><p>"I guess so," Gohan murmured quietly, as he folded his socks up carefully on the floor. "At least he's helping my father, and giving us some new armor."</p><p>"Here," Vegeta's voice caught the two of them off guard. They turned their heads, gazing at the Saiyan Prince holding two sets of upper armor in his hands before walking over.</p><p>"This is the armor I was talking about. It's an older model than mine, but it should work just as well." Vegeta said, tossing them both their new armor.</p><p>Krillin took a moment to examine the armor he was holding. "How do I put this thing on?" He asked himself, examining the armor from all angles, trying to find an opening for his head.</p><p>Vegeta snorted impatiently in response. "Slide them over your head! If that doesn't work, I can come over there and force them on <em>for</em> you."</p><p>Krillin swallowed hard, glancing briefly at Vegeta, before spreading the armor's collar, finding that it could stretch very easily.</p><p>"They're expandable, remember?" Vegeta continued, with a sneer. "I was wearing one of these when I battled the two of you back on Earth."</p><p>"Wow, cool! It's so stretchy!" Gohan exclaimed excitedly, pulling the material as far as he could, and eliciting an odd sensation in Vegeta, that he couldn't quite explain.</p><p>A few minutes later, both Gohan and Krillin were fully dressed, looking very much like Vegeta at that moment, with their armor on. They were excited by the idea that they could potentially gain some extra protection during a fight by wearing them.</p><p>"Gohan, I think it'll be a good idea if I go to see Master Guru," Krillin suddenly said, eliciting a gasp from the young warrior. "I know I might run into Freeza, but I think it may be our best shot to learn the correct password to summon the Eternal Dragon."</p><p>Gohan nodded at his words, clenching his fists. "I'll go with you!" He said, with gusto. However, Krillin shook his head dismissively to the young boy.</p><p>"Stay here and look after Goku and Bulma," Krillin said, curtly. "I'll be back in no time." Krillin then quickly turned around, and ran towards the exit of the ship, before blasting off at full speed, heading toward Master Guru's location.</p><p>Vegeta and Gohan followed Krillin's path to the outside of the ship, watching as he disappeared from their sight, and into the green sky. Vegeta looked around at the ground, noticing that all seven Dragon Balls were still there in the grassy blue field, laying right out in wide open for all to see.</p><p>"In the meantime, while you wait for your baldy friend to return, you'd better keep your eyes on the Dragon Balls," Vegeta grunted huskily to Gohan, stepping away from him, towards the ramp of the ship. "If we lose those, I'll be totally pissed," he smirked slightly, his back turned to Gohan. "I'm going inside. For now, check on that clown," he said, heading inside of the ship, leaving Gohan behind, all on his own.</p><p>Once Vegeta entered the ship, he took the opportunity to lean against a column for a moment. There was something bugging him, and now that he was all alone, that thought was constantly running through his mind, making it almost impossible for him to think about anything else.</p><p>It was only a matter of time until Freeza reached them. And, without the Dragon Balls ready in time to wish for his immortality, Vegeta couldn't stop wondering what would happen next. Especially with a certain person.</p><p>Vegeta snorted angrily, as those ridiculous thoughts clouded his mind once more. He began to walk again, trying to search for Bulma's ki inside of the ship. He was determined about what he needed to do. She couldn't be there once Freeza arrived; he needed to somehow take her away from the Dragon Balls, and the battlefield. He remembered his fight with Jeice, and how she so stubbornly tried to get in his way, probably trying to 'help him', or whatever she had tried and failed to do.</p><p>If he wanted to defeat Freeza, she couldn't be there. He knew he could be distracted by her, always subconsciously wondering if she was okay; if she was still alive. He had a bit of the taste of it during his fight with Captain Ginyu; he was sloppy, distracted, and if it wasn't for Kakarot, Vegeta would be a frog now. And that was all because she distracted him earlier, by just barely avoiding being hit by Jeice. Vegeta knew that now, even though the truth tasted bittersweet on his tongue.</p><p>The Saiyan Prince sighed heavily, trying to regain his focus. He knew there was no use of lying to himself anymore. He needed to be sharp, and have his mind clear if he wanted to achieve his immortality. An unsettling thought resounded loudly in his mind. <em>What if Freeza somehow finds Bulma and </em><em><strong>hurts</strong></em><em> her deliberately, or indirectly during our fight? Even more; what if she gets </em><em><strong>killed</strong></em><em>? Would </em><em><strong>I</strong></em><em> care?</em></p><p>Vegeta suddenly stopped his pace, his mind racing wildly with all sorts of emotions as the unspeakable truth finally became clear.</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Yes. </strong>
  </em>
  <em>I</em>
  <em>
    <strong> would</strong>
  </em>
  <em> care.</em>
</p><p>He punched the wall as hard as he could, trying to figure out how he had let things come to this point. He was the Prince of all Saiyans, and he, of all people, should know better than to let these weak emotions take control over his mind.</p><p>"Fuck," he hissed angrily to himself, massaging the bridge of his nose with his fingers. He was trying to cease the thoughts running rampant through his mind, when suddenly, he was aware of Bulma's energy nearby. He glanced up at the corridor, being able to sense that she was not far away from where he was now. He resumed walking, heading towards the control room.</p><p>Vegeta placed his hand over the wall panel, commanding the steel door to open before he entered the room. However, of all the things he expected to see in there, the scene that welcomed him was <em>definitely</em> not one of them.</p><p>Bulma was standing with her back turned to him, as she was leaning over the table in the center of the room, working on something with her head down. But, more importantly, Vegeta realized that she was not wearing pants, for some reason that was beyond him. Here she was, almost bent over the table, with her navy-blue, lacy underwear exposed to his very eyes, while still wearing her upper clothes.</p><p>Vegeta held his breath a moment, not quite believing that she was almost naked in front of him, but not wanting to divert his eyes either. She hadn't noticed him yet, so he took the opportunity to glance over her body.</p><p>She seemed very concentrated on whatever she was doing. Her left foot was absently scratching her right leg, while she was humming some odd melody again. He remembered that it was the same melody she had sang while she was 'fixing' the Dragon Ball radar for him, a few days ago.</p><p>His eyes scanned her pale legs, traveling all the way up to her round butt, that was nicely framed by her lacy underwear. Vegeta had to admit, the sight was not disappointing at all.</p><p>"What are you doing?" Vegeta decided to speak, against his better judgment. If he continued to spy on her like she was his prey, he didn't like to even think on how that would end.</p><p>Bulma screamed loudly just as soon as she heard his voice. She jumped frantically in mid-air, turning around to see him staring at her, completely ignoring the fact that his cheeks were slightly red, since her own face was burning hot with her fervent blushing. She glanced down at herself, noticing that she was still wearing only her underwear.</p><p>"<em>Vegeta! You jerk!</em>" She shouted angrily, trying to conceal her body with her hands as best she could. "<em>Turn around!</em>" She begged, but he didn't move.</p><p>"Why would you be wearing only your undergarments, on an alien ship?" he asked coldly, secretly enjoying how embarrassed she was. She jumped around, reaching for her pants over the table, then using them to cover her panties.</p><p>"It wouldn't be the first time," she answered wryly, and he widened his eyes at her remark for a moment. "Now, could you please turn around? Are you not a <em>prince</em>?" She teased him, and he snorted at her, sighing heavily before turning around, giving her a little privacy to put her pants on.</p><p>"Still, you haven't yet answered my question," he murmured huskily, his back still turned to her. "What are you doing?"</p><p>Bulma huffed something he couldn't understand, pulling her pants completely up and tightening the belt before speaking with him again. By the tone of her voice, Vegeta could tell that her mood was soured.</p><p>"Well, I was fixing the radar that some <em>idiot</em> broke when he tossed me on the ground like garbage," she grumbled bitterly, making Vegeta whirl around to face her, seeing her completely dressed, much to his disappointment. "And, I was removing the glass pieces from the back pocket of my pants before they could stab me!"</p><p>Vegeta hummed at her, taking a moment to walk over to the table she was working at, seeing the broken device laying there. The front part of the screen had shattered in pieces. He finally assumed that maybe she was angry with him because of it.</p><p>"Well, it's useless now, anyway," he murmured, crossing his arms over his chest. "We've already collected all seven Dragon Balls." He tried to give her some sense of logic, but his comment only seemed to sour her mood even more.</p><p>Bulma scrunched her nose up, imitating him, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "<em>That's so typical of you!</em> You care for nothing other than <em>yourself!"</em> She yelled bitterly at him, making Vegeta blink a few times. "Once it's useless to you, you toss it away like it's <em>nothing</em>!"</p><p>Bulma passed by him angrily, bumping her shoulder into his, reaching the table and grabbing all the little pieces of her device. She encapsulated them into one of her spare capsules, not glancing at the confused Saiyan Prince next to her.</p><p>Vegeta knew she was giving him a cold shoulder, but he was clueless as to why. She was very upset about her radar, but he didn't understand her motives. Suddenly, a clever thought came to his mind. He still needed to follow his plan of getting her out of the way. Maybe, he could find a way to make <em>her</em> less annoyed as well.</p><p>"Do you have the tools to fix it back over at your accommodations?" He asked, and Bulma glanced at him, bewildered.</p><p>"Yeah… I guess," she said hesitantly, frowning at him.</p><p>"Well, let's go there before Freeza arrives," he said bluntly, and Bulma gasped at his suggestion.</p><p>"<em>What?!</em> But, the Dragon Balls…" she began, before Vegeta cut her off.</p><p>"Your baldy friend is searching for someone that could grant us the password at this very moment," he murmured huskily at her, his obsidian eyes locked on her big blue ones. "Kakarot is healing inside the regeneration chamber now, and his brat is taking care of the Dragon Balls as we speak."</p><p>Bulma stared at him, intrigued, trying to understand what he was plotting, without much success. <em>Was he trying to be kind to her? Trying to compensate for the way he had treated her in front of her friends earlier?</em></p><p>"I can fly even faster, now. We'll reach your accommodations in no time," he hissed, his impatient tone starting to cut through his voice. He stared at her as she considered his offer. Suddenly, she smiled cockily at him, causing Vegeta to contemplate if she had figured out his plan.</p><p>"Fine. But only on <strong>one</strong> condition," she said, blinking her eyelashes flirtatiously, eliciting a hard swallow from him. "We can fly over there, but <em>only</em> if you carry me on your back."</p><p>Vegeta clenched his teeth. <em>What a vulgar woman</em>, he thought to himself. He knew that she was testing him, and he wondered if she knew what that meant. It wasn't common for a Saiyan to carry another one over their backs, only if there was something <em>intimate</em> between them. First, she had appeared half-naked in front of him, and now, she was demanding to be carried like <em>that</em>. Things were not turning out the way he had planned.</p><p>However, deep inside, Vegeta knew that he needed to be focused on the bigger picture. He needed to get rid of her, so he wouldn't be worried about what happened to her during his battle against Freeza. <em>Damn it Bulma</em>, he growled internally.</p><p>"Fine. Let's finish this," he said cheerlessly, turning his back to her once again, not able to see Bulma smile excitedly at this new development. She quickly ran over to him and jumped onto his back, wrapping her arms around his neck, while her legs were around his torso.</p><p>Vegeta held her by the back of the knees to give her support, being glad for a moment that she couldn't see his face. He carried her like that to the outside of the ship, blasting off at full speed once they were outside, ignoring the fact that Gohan was watching them with quizzical eyes.</p><p>"Bulma… what are you doing?" Gohan asked himself, observing as Vegeta and Bulma flew off into the sky, leaving Gohan once again, alone with the Dragon Balls.</p><hr/><p>Bulma had wrapped her arms around Vegeta's neck comfortably, while he was holding the back of her knees as they flew towards the Capsule Corp. accommodations. She could tell that he was flying very fast, but, seeing as she was over his back, the flight wasn't at all terrible like usual. In fact, not having her stomach or bones crushed over his body made the journey quite pleasant to her, being seated in a comfortable position.</p><p>She glanced over his features, seeing his eyebrows furrowed into his signature scowl. Bulma had no idea why he had agreed with carrying her on his back. He had always seemed reluctant about doing it before. Deep inside, she had a feeling that he was trying to make up for his rude behavior. She smiled coyly to herself, feeling her cheeks burning slightly.</p><p>"So… a Zeni for your thoughts?" She said softly, close to his right ear, startling the Saiyan Prince slightly. He glanced back briefly at her, intrigued.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>Bulma snickered a little at his quick reaction. "It's a thing we say on Earth," she murmured softly, making Vegeta raise one eyebrow slightly. "We say it when we want to know what is on someone's mind," she continued, biting her lower lip slightly as she observed him. Vegeta glanced away from her, focusing his attention on the path ahead of them, considering her words for a moment.</p><p>"I was thinking… about my planet."</p><p>Bulma jumped in surprise, not expecting that he would actually <em>answer</em> her question. "Oh… I see," she whispered hesitantly, trying to find the right words to say. If he was showing her a small fraction of himself from behind the wall he had created around himself, she didn't want to lose this rare opportunity. "Do you… miss it?"</p><p>Vegeta only shrugged at her question, not glancing at her. "I don't care. It's just the way life is," he said bluntly, and Bulma sighed, deeply.</p><p>"Well, I guess it doesn't have to be like that <em>anymore</em>, right?" She murmured tenderly, smiling softly at him. "Once you defeat Freeza, you'll be <em>free</em>. You'll be able to do whatever you want, right?"</p><p>Vegeta was caught off guard by her words. He glanced at her again, seeing her smiling back brightly. What was she saying? She was saying that she <em>trusted</em> him to defeat Freeza? Did that mean that she had faith in him? Vegeta snorted angrily, diverting his eyes from hers, making Bulma's smile fade away from her lips.</p><p>"You have no idea what you are talking about," he said somberly, without staring into her big blue eyes. However, Bulma chose to tighten her arms around his neck ever so slightly, attempting to show him support.</p><p>"Well, maybe you should enlighten me, then," she said, inching her face near his, trying her best to hear his voice through the wind whipping through her hair. After a moment that seemed like an eternity, Vegeta finally decided to speak.</p><p>"You have no idea how powerful and evil Freeza truly is," he began to tell her, his voice grave and low, while his eyes were focused on the flight path ahead. "He destroyed my home planet. He killed everyone there, just because he was afraid of what we, Saiyans, could have become. He blew everything up and he <em>is</em> proud of that, I'm sure."</p><p>Bulma listened mindfully to his grave words, feeling her heart aching from the pained words coming from his lips.</p><p>"He killed my father," he hissed angrily, allowing Bulma to hear the growl rumbling inside his chest. "We worked <em>so </em>hard for him. We did <em>everything</em> he asked for, and more. He took me from my father when I was just a little boy..."</p><p>"He made me do whatever he wanted," Vegeta continued, his gaze fixed on the horizon. "He said he'd <em>kill</em> my father if I didn't. I did <em>everything</em> he asked, and he killed him <em>anyway</em>, along with everyone else."</p><p>Bulma started to sob silently onto his back, feeling her vision starting to blur with her hot tears, as the revelations of his saddening past touched her heart deeply with sorrow, and resentment for Freeza.</p><p>"That's why Freeza must be destroyed once for all," Vegeta spat huskily, before sighing heavily. Bulma gazed into his obsidian, beaming eyes. "He made me what I am. I cannot let him do it to anyone else."</p><p>"<em>No!</em>" Bulma protested, her tears still hot on her cheeks. "You're <em>not</em> a monster, Vegeta! You're a brave, strong man. You… deserve <em>better</em> than all of that." she murmured fondly, burying her nose into the crook of his neck, taking a moment to take in his masculine scent, hugging him even more tightly from behind.</p><p>Vegeta tensed up under her embrace, not expecting to have her so close to his body. He lowered his flight, and finally decided to go downwards, noticing that he had arrived at the location he'd intended.</p><p>Vegeta landed on the ground, loosening his grip over Bulma's knees, and letting her step down onto the grass. She looked around for a moment, realizing that they were not at the Capsule Corp. accommodations, as Vegeta had first said they were going. Instead, he had brought her to the cave they had been in before, when she was helping him gather the Dragon Balls.</p><p>"Vegeta… what are we doing here?" She asked him hesitantly, noticing how he sighed heavily before turning around and facing her.</p><p>"You'll stay here," he said bluntly, his signature scowl upon his face once again. "I'm going back to face Freeza once and for all."</p><p>Bulma whined loudly, balking at his words. "You… brought me here… just to <em>leave</em> me?! I am<em> not</em> going to be left behind! I'm coming with you!"</p><p>"Don't be absurd," Vegeta said coldly, crossing his burly arms against his chest. "You're useless against Freeza. Even the Namekian kid is stronger than you."</p><p>Bulma stomped her foot angrily on the ground, pissed off by his words. "That's it! I'm <strong>done</strong> being left behind!"</p><p>"Bulma…" Vegeta began to counter her, but she quickly cut him off.</p><p>"No! You listen to me, your Highness!" She hissed, surging closer to him, her big eyes staring deep into his. "I'm not some piece of garbage you can leave behind whenever it pleases you!" She sneered, feeling a lump forming inside her throat. Vegeta frowned at her for a moment.</p><p>"I never said you were," he murmured huskily, causing Bulma to stop her tantrum, and gaze at him with owlish eyes. They stayed quiet for a moment, only staring at each other, making Bulma realize that Vegeta's smoldering gaze was starting to make goosebumps form all over her arms and neck.</p><p>She closed her eyes for a moment, sighing slowly, taking a moment to make up her mind. There was something that she wanted to ask him, something that she needed to <em>know</em>. If he was planning on leaving her behind, now was the time to know the truth.</p><p>"Vegeta…" she whispered softly, her eyes still closed. "I… I need to ask you something." She finally opened her eyes, and Vegeta was taken off guard by the way her blue eyes were beaming up at him. He swallowed hard, feeling anxious for some reason before nodding at her to continue.</p><p>Bulma took a final sigh before closing the distance between their bodies and leaning over on her tip-toes, cupping his face with both of her hands, as her lips met his in a soft kiss.</p><p>Vegeta was not expecting it, but before he could do anything, he found himself also closing his eyes as he started to kiss her as well, feeling her soft lips over his, as her tongue gently played with his. Bulma hands slid slowly over Vegeta's neck, grabbing his gravity-defiant hair and pulling him even closer to her, rubbing her breasts slightly against his bulky torso, as she panted between their kisses with her flirtatious motion.</p><p>The sensation he felt was like nothing else he could describe. For a second, he forgot about everything he was fighting for. Nothing in the universe mattered other than the woman in his arms, kissing him so passionately, as he had never experienced in his entire life.</p><p>However, that second passed by, and Vegeta regained control over his own body. He placed both of his hands over her hips, squeezing it for a moment before he could use all the inner strength he had, to cease their shared kiss.</p><p>Bulma glanced up at him, panting slightly as she contemplated his features. His expression wasn't hard, but he seemed conflicted for whatever reason. She bit her bottom lip for a second, deciding to finally ask him what she wanted.</p><p>"Tell me I'm not crazy," she murmured throatily, leaning closer to his lips once more, trying to capture the tenderness that they had shared before. "Tell me you… feel the same way as I do. That you know that <em>something</em> is going on between us, Vegeta."</p><p>Vegeta stared at her, gazing into her dazzling eyes, and seeing how alluring she actually was. Still holding her hips, he pushed her away from him slightly. Bulma frowned at him, not understanding his intentions. Then, she saw a malicious smirk form upon his lips. She hadn't seen him look at her like that, since… their first encounter.</p><p>Bulma stepped back from him for a moment, startled by the sudden change in his expression. A shiver went down her spine as she felt that something wasn't right.</p><p>Vegeta snickered devilishly to her, his voice, more laced with malice than ever before. "You are a fool to think that I, the Prince of all Saiyans, would want anything to do with an Earthling <em>whore</em> like you."</p><p>Bulma felt the air blow out her lungs all at once, as if she had just been punched in the stomach. She glanced at him once more, still seeing that evil sneer upon his lips.</p><p>She couldn't help herself, and soon her tears started to stream down her face, as her humiliation reached down to the core of her heart. Feeling completely heartbroken, she closed the distance between their bodies, and with all her anger, she cracked the palm of her hand hard across his cheek with a rage-fueled slap that echoed across the open field.</p><p>With her blurry vision, Bulma watched as Vegeta stepped away from her, his smirk faded completely from his features, leaving him with a blank expression, delving deep into her eyes. Without saying a word, Vegeta took off from the ground, distancing himself away from her, before blasting away at full speed into the sky, leaving her alone once more.</p><p>Bulma started to whimper, kneeling on the ground as her tears uncontrollably began to dampen her face. She cried sorrowfully, her shoulders trembling with heaving motions, her heart aching inside her chest.</p><p>"Stupid Bulma!" She cursed herself, for being unable to prevent more tears from spilling out. "Of all the people in the <em>universe</em>, you just <em>had</em> to fall in love with Vegeta?!" She cried, and only then did the weight of her own words reach down into her heart. She <em>loved</em> him? Bulma sighed heavily for a moment, considering the question herself.</p><p>She had been through a lot the last week. She had encountered Vegeta, and experienced a roller-coaster of feelings that quickly went from fear, to curiosity, to care, and then… finally, love. <strong>Yes</strong>, she had fallen in love with him, and as much as this idea scared her; she couldn't deny anymore what she truly felt for the Saiyan Prince.</p><p>"Too bad, he's just another jerk that broke my heart," she whispered resentfully, remembering his last words to her. She had bared to him her entire heart; being completely vulnerable, only to have him insult her, and humiliate her, making it pretty clear that he had no interest in her.</p><p>"Why did I kiss him again? <em>What was I thinking?!</em>" She cursed herself, hugging her knees with her arms, remembering everything that had led up to that moment. He had touched her heart with the way he talked about his father, his past. It was like he was showing her his true self; as if he trusted her enough to confide in her that sensitive memory. Why would he do that if he despised her that much, then?</p><p>Suddenly, a thought came to her mind. Maybe she wasn't crazy, after all. She knew, deep inside her broken heart that Vegeta, of all the people, wouldn't tell her such a thing if he didn't care about her. Other than that, if he thought that she was nothing but a <em>'whore',</em> as he'd said, he wouldn't have saved her as many times as he did. He had risked his life, his goals of becoming immortal, to shield her from Recoome's attack. In that moment, Bulma finally realized that he had risked <em>everything</em> important to him to save her.</p><p>In fact, here he was again, taking her as far as possible away from Freeza's reach, even if that meant that he needed to leave the Dragon Balls behind while doing it. Suddenly, the realization hit her like a train.</p><p>"Vegeta…" she murmured tenderly, as she concluded that he was in fact trying to save her again. It was clear to her now, he <em>did</em> care about her, and he had only chosen to break her heart in order to prevent her from following him back.</p><p>"What an idiot! That arrogant, spoiled man!" She hissed with annoyance, getting up from the ground and searching for a capsule inside the front pocket of her vest, her tears now drying on her face. She tossed it on the ground, revealing her hot-pink hover motorcycle. She was ready to give the Saiyan Prince a piece of her mind, as soon as she found him.</p><p>"Nobody breaks my heart and gets away with it," she whispered slyly, getting onto her hoverbike and pressing the accelerator. <em>Here I come, Vegeta</em>, she thought to herself, before driving as fast as she could towards the same direction he had brought her.</p><hr/><p>Gohan was sitting atop a huge Dragon Ball, supporting his chin in the palms of both hands, contemplating the green sky, when he suddenly sensed someone coming towards his direction.</p><p>He quickly stood up, trying to see if it was Bulma and Vegeta again. However, the sooner the energy came towards him, the more it was becoming clear. He smiled gladly, knowing that Krillin and Dende were finally back.</p><p>"It's Krillin! You made it back!" Gohan exclaimed happily, taking off from the ground to meet his friends in the air. "Dende! I'm happy to see you're alright!"</p><p>Dende smiled fondly at Gohan, seemingly happy to see that his Earth friend was also safe and sound. However, Krillin's voice brought them back to reality.</p><p>"Wait, I can't sense Vegeta," he frowned at Gohan, who glanced back at him.</p><p>"Why isn't he here?"</p><p>Gohan scratched the back of his head nervously, remembering the odd events that had happened recently. "Well… he and Bulma kind of ran away… I guess."</p><p>Krillin's eyes widened at the remark, gasping for a moment before speaking. "W-What?! <em>He and Bulma did </em><em><strong>what</strong></em><em>?!"</em></p><p>"I'm not sure, Krillin," Gohan muttered cheerlessly, also finding it hard to understand what had happened. "All I saw was Vegeta flying away with Bulma over his back. She wasn't screaming or anything, so I guess she just joined him willingly."</p><p>"Joined him?! Ah, Kami, sometimes I wish I could be the one to find a hot alien girlfriend, for once." Krillin whispered bitterly to himself, eliciting a frown from Dende beside him.</p><p>"What?" Dende asked, but Krillin only shook his head in disbelief, not believing what he was hearing. What was Bulma thinking? And why would Vegeta leave the Dragon Balls behind all of a sudden?</p><p>However, a clever idea occurred to Krillin. If Vegeta wasn't there, that meant they could use the Dragon Balls without his knowledge! They would be able to wish their friends back, without having to risk allowing Vegeta to become immortal.</p><p>Krillin smirked slyly to himself. "Bulma, your sacrifice won't be forgotten," he said in a whimsical tone, eliciting frowns from both Gohan and Dende.</p><p>"Gohan, what Krillin is talking about?" Dende asked shyly to his friend, as Gohan sighed heavily.</p><p>"You get used to it," Gohan answered, in a deadpan voice.</p><p>"Hush, Gohan!" Krillin whispered, flying towards the Dragon Balls on the ground, followed by the two children.</p><p>"Let's summon the Dragon before Freeza gets here."</p><hr/><p>Vegeta flew as fast as he could back to Freeza's ship. His mind was once again clouded with all sorts of conflicting thoughts, as he felt a strange knot twisting inside his chest.</p><p>'<em>You are a fool to think that I, the Prince of all Saiyans, would want anything with an Earthling </em><em><strong>whore</strong></em><em> like you.'</em></p><p>It would be the last thing he would ever say to her. But, he knew it was for the best. Bulma had this strange habit of showing up whenever there was fighting going on. If humiliating her was the way to keep her away, so be it. Vegeta was a practical man, and that was the most logical solution.</p><p>However, he was not expecting to feel what he was feeling at that moment. It was like his heart was sinking inside his chest. He always had been good at suppressing his own feelings, but, what he was feeling right now was almost too unbearable to hide. It was as if he was hearing all over again that Planet Vegeta had been destroyed.</p><p>"<em>Curse these feelings</em>!" Vegeta hissed angrily to himself, clenching his fists while speeding up even more. "I'm a Saiyan Prince! I'm the elite of the elite! <em>I'll not allow those weakling feelings to stop me from getting what I deserve!</em>" He shouted again, not unable to lighten the heavy feeling within his chest.</p><p>Vegeta snorted angrily, trying to maintain his focus. However, all his instincts were being blinded by this wave of rage and hatred that was washing over him. He truly hated himself at that moment.</p><p>He hated himself for being this weak, stupid excuse for a warrior that couldn't even control his own emotions. He hated himself for being too weak to face Freeza, and beat that bastard once for all. He hated that he had to choose to leave Bulma behind, to humiliate her and lie to her when all he wanted to do was finally take her. If he hadn't forced himself to stop their kiss, he would have stripped off her clothes, right where they were and mated with her, as he was so eager to do since… He even didn't know since when he had started to feel this way towards her.</p><p>With that, Vegeta hated himself because he knew, deep inside his heart, that Bulma deserved <em>better</em>. She deserved someone better than him.</p><p>"What an idiot piece of shit I am," Vegeta murmured somberly, closing his eyes for a moment, still at full speed. "As if someone like <em>me</em> would deserve anything <em>good</em> in life."</p><p>Suddenly, the light in the sky had faded away, making Vegeta reopen his eyes, startled. He stopped his flight, staring at the dark sky above him.</p><p>"What… what is happening?" he murmured to himself, glancing all around himself. Suddenly, his eyes caught a strange, immense glowing figure, floating in the sky. He resumed his flight, heading towards the figure, trying to comprehend what exactly it was. When he was finally close enough, the realization hit him, hard. It was a massive, green, glowing dragon in the sky.</p><p>"No…no," Vegeta breathed, not believing his eyes. The Earthlings had betrayed him, and summoned the Dragon without him. Within the time he had took to take Bulma to a safe place, they had used it against him.</p><p>"<em>Those bastards!</em>" Vegeta growled, infuriated. "<em>They'll never see the light of day again! I'll </em><em><strong>kill</strong></em><em> them all!</em>" He shouted, before blasting at high speed towards the Eternal Dragon.</p><hr/><p>"Quickly, Dende!" Gohan yelled angrily, his gaze fixed on the colossal, and very impatient Eternal Dragon floating above them in the blackened sky. "For the second wish, bring Mr. Piccolo here!"</p><p>Dende nodded to his words and turned on his heels to face the mighty Porunga once more. He spread his little green arms out, inhaling deeply before announcing the second wish in Namekian.</p><p>Krillin was standing next to Gohan when a glimpse of a strong energy pierced through his senses. He turned around to see where it was coming from, it was becoming pretty clear to him that it was Vegeta.</p><p>"Oh, no! I guess Vegeta found his way back here!" He whimpered, his eyes wide, attempting to scan the black horizon for any movements. Dende could hear Krillin's whimpering, and startled with the idea of the terrifying Saiyan coming to them. He squeezed his eyes shut, shouting the second wish desperately to the Eternal Dragon.</p><p>"I will grant this wish," Porunga's eloquent voice echoed through space. "The one called Piccolo will be brought to Namek." The Dragon's red eyes glowed for a moment, before returning to their natural state. "Your second wish has been granted."</p><p>Gohan and Krillin glanced around eagerly, trying to find Mr. Piccolo. "I'm not seeing him anywhere," Gohan murmured anxiously, unable to sense the Namekian's energy nearby.</p><p>"Guys, please!" Dende whimpered to the Earthlings, getting their attention. "Don't disrespect the Eternal Dragon! If Porunga says he's here, <em>he's here!</em>"</p><p>"<em>What?!</em> But, where is he?!" Gohan repeated desperately. "So, he could be <em>anywhere</em> here on the planet?" he asked, and Dende nodded nervously at him.</p><p>"But, we could use our last wish to bring him <em>here</em>, to our location!" Dende whispered, his eyes beaming worriedly at his friends. However, before Gohan or Krillin could say anything else, Dende screamed, terrified, startling everyone in sight.</p><p>Krillin froze in place, as the hackles rose on the back of his neck at the sound of a voice booming from behind him.</p><p>"<em>Hello, you fools!"</em> Vegeta shouted angrily at them, his eyes darker than ever, his fists shaking aside his body with the pure, unadulterated rage he was feeling. "You seem a little <em>surprised</em> to see me."</p><p>"Ve-Vegeta…" Krillin stuttered, taking a few steps back from the bloodthirsty Saiyan walking slowly toward their direction.</p><p>"This… is not what you're thinking… Mister Vegeta… sir" Gohan whispered with a cracking voice, stepping away from the Saiyan Prince as well. "Everything is..uh, fine..."</p><p>A vein in Vegeta's forehead was throbbing with irritation. He stepped closer to them, his mouth almost salivating with the hatred in his heart. "I don't think everything is <em>fine</em>," he snapped huskily, his voice grave and serious. "And I will tell you <em>why</em> everything is <em>not</em> fine," he hissed somberly, eliciting sharp swallows from everyone in front of him.</p><p>"Because you two… you summoned the Dragon, didn't you?! <em>Shame on you!</em>" Vegeta growled at them, stepping closer to the trembling Earthlings. "<em>How dare you?!</em> I spoiled you with new equipment, took you in, saved your lives. I even risked <em>everything</em> to save the woman's life, and <strong>this</strong> is how you repay me?!</p><p>Krillin and Gohan briefly glanced at each other, as Vegeta's words weighed in their minds. Vegeta's voice echoed angrily once again across the field, getting their attention quickly.</p><p>"Well, you can kiss each other goodbye," Vegeta seethed hatefully through his teeth, his closed fists already glowing with the rise in his power. However, before he could blast at them, Gohan raised his hands in the air.</p><p>"Hold on a second!" He shouted at Vegeta, who growled at the young Saiyan, stopping his approach. "You only wanted to use <em>one</em> wish for yourself, right?"</p><p>Krillin's eyes bulged with shock towards Gohan. "What are you doing?!" He whispered; bewildered, but the young boy ignored his words.</p><p>"We only used <em>two</em> wishes. You can have the last one!" He yelled, and Vegeta stared at him, in surprise. However, without wanting to waste any more time, Vegeta finally lowered his fists and stormed towards the Eternal Dragon.</p><p>The Saiyan Prince smirked proudly, passing by the two Earthlings, and grabbing Dende's garments, raising the Namekian child up from the ground, who screamed in terror.</p><p>"C'mon, little green man," Vegeta hissed harshly, raising Dende even more in the air, who continued crying, begging Vegeta to stop what he was doing. "<em>Enough with the crying, kid!</em> Say the words, now! <strong>Make me immortal! </strong>I'm the <em>only</em> one that can stop Freeza!" Vegeta yelled angrily, making more tears stream down the poor green child's face. However, before Vegeta could say anything else, Krillin's voice caught him off guard.</p><p>"<em>Dende! Do what Vegeta says!</em>" Krillin screamed from the other side of the field. "We'll all die if we don't do something fast!" He continued, eliciting a hesitant nod from Dende. To Vegeta's surprise, a second later, Dende began to speak the Namekian words, asking for Vegeta to become immortal.</p><p>However, before Dende could finish his wish, the mighty Eternal Dragon began to fade away slowly, before disappearing completely in mid-air with a massive, blindingly bright explosion, not leaving any trace behind.</p><p>After that, all seven Dragon Balls landed heavily on the blue grass, nothing other than rounded stones.</p><p>"W-what?!" Vegeta stammered bewildered, loosening his grip on Dende's clothes, allowing him to drop to the ground. "What happened…? Is this <em>normal?</em>" Vegeta murmured huskily, turning on his heels to face the other warriors, who by the look on their faces, seemed just as surprised as he did.</p><p>Vegeta glanced at himself, feeling like nothing was different about him. <em>Was he immortal? Did the dragon grant his wish?</em> "Someone, explain this!" He demanded, eagerly. Dende's figure caught his attention, who had dropped to his knees in the grass, his face sorrowful.</p><p>"No… it's not normal," he whispered cheerlessly, making Vegeta blink his eyes a few times, as the boy began to whimper, his little shoulders shaking slightly. "It's Guru...he's<em> gone.</em>"</p><p>"I'm sorry for your loss, Dende," Krillin murmured from behind the green-skinned child, but Vegeta suddenly interrupted his condolences.</p><p>"Wait a minute! <em>That's </em><em><strong>it</strong></em><em>?!</em>" He growled, pissed, running over to Dende and getting to the same level as him. "Do you mean to say that once this Guru is dead, the Dragon Balls are completely useless?!"</p><p>Dende looked up at Vegeta with wide eyes, his cheeks dampened by tears. He nodded bitterly at the rude Saiyan Prince, who didn't soften his expression. Vegeta squeezed his hands tightly into fists, almost hurting the palms of his hands. He lifted from the ground and turned to the Earthlings, as a strong growl started to rumble from inside his chest.</p><p>"You idiots!" He crowed sanguinely, growling at Gohan and Krillin as his blood boiled with rage, heat scorching through his entire body. "<em>Don't you understand?!</em> If he didn't grant my wish, it means that I'm <em>not</em> immortal!"</p><p>Vegeta stormed toward them, watching as they tried to scramble away from his reach. "And Freeza is going to…"</p><p>Vegeta glanced above them, his voice cracking as his eyes widened in shock at what he was seeing. Krillin and Gohan turned around, only to be horrified by the figure that had just arrived in the air.</p><p>"No, please. <em>Don't mind me</em>," Freeza's sharp voice echoed throughout the wide grassy fields, his lethal smile imprinted into his pale lilac features. He levitated in the air, staring down at them. "By all means…" he continued, his eyes glaring with rage at the pathetic beings before him.</p><p>"<em>Enlighten me with your ideas."</em></p><hr/><p>
  <strong>A/N: Oh, no! An unwanted guest arrived at the party! LOL Just kidding, I know Freeza is such an iconic villain we all do love to hate! ;) Also, I know the chapter ended a little bittersweet, but you guys know Vegeta! He's trying to be a practical man. Thanks so much for everyone that reviewed, followed, favorited, left kudos and read the fic! You guys are awesome!</strong>
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  <strong>This chapter was beta'd by the amazing RoyalBlueRoses! You guys should definitely check out her new fic called "The Laws Of Physical Attraction". If you like a good Vegebul lemonish romance, you'll most definitely love it!</strong>
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  <strong>Reviews are always welcome and much appreciated! Thank you so much in advance to anyone who takes the time to write one!</strong>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10 – The Prince Of All Saiyans</h2></a>
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    <p><em><strong>Author:</strong></em> Becky L. Sly<br/><em><strong>Title: </strong></em>What If: Namek<br/><em><strong>Genre: </strong></em>Romance/Adventure<br/><em><strong>Rating: </strong></em>T (there will be cuss words, violence and some non-explicit sexual situations that may not be appropriate for all readers)</p><p>
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    <strong>I just own the plot. All characters belong to Funimation, Toei Animation, and Akira Toriyama.</strong>
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  <strong>Chapter 10 – The Prince Of All Saiyans</strong>
</p><p>Bulma was riding her hoverbike across the blue grassy fields, her heartbeat pulsing rapidly in her throat, when all of the sudden, the sky above her turned to pitch black, making her press the brake-pedal promptly, and glance around herself, startled. She narrowed her eyes, trying to see any further past her own nose, and quickly concluded what the sudden change in the atmosphere meant.</p><p>"The Eternal Dragon," she whispered to herself as her heart beat rapidly, wide blue eyes trying to scan the horizon for any sign of the colossal, airborne dragon. "Someone has summoned it," she murmured absently, as the new discovery weighed fully inside her mind.</p><p>Bulma sighed heavily, deciding to continue down the path she was heading, lighting the front headlight, so she could see better in the darkness. As she drove across the vast fields of Namek, she was finally able to see a bright figure glowing from far away on the horizon, directing her towards the path she should follow.</p><p>"C'mon guys," she murmured eagerly, pressing the accelerator towards the Eternal Dragon, which from her perspective, was only a tiny, glowing dot in the sky. "Tell me you made <em>our</em> wish." She was hoping that her friends were the ones talking with the Dragon, instead of the terrifying Freeza. For a second, she wondered if it was Vegeta as well, and if he somehow had achieved his goal of immortality.</p><p>However, before she could dig any further into that thought, the darkness around her slowly faded away, until the bright green sky returned. Bulma blinked a few times, before completely understanding what happened.</p><p>"The Dragon… is <em>gone</em>," she murmured, still driving towards the direction of where the Eternal Dragon once stood. "Does it mean… <em>what?!</em>" She croaked desperately, feeling more clueless than ever.</p><p>"Those motherfuckers!" Bulma screamed angrily. Did her friends make their wish, and somehow forgot about her here? Or did the worst scenario finally come to pass, and now Freeza was truly indestructible?</p><p>Bulma swallowed hard, trying to cease her racing thoughts for a moment. She knew deep inside her heart that no matter what wish had been granted, she just couldn't stay behind and do <em>nothing</em>. She needed to find her friends, and get off of Planet Namek as soon as possible.</p><p>She exhaled sharply, as gradually, the sounds of blasts and explosions sounding off in the distance intensified, meaning a battle had definitely started. Bulma felt her sweat running down her temples, as she was wondering <em>who</em> was fighting against who.</p><hr/><p>Freeza gave Vegeta a sardonic grin, taking a moment to glance at the ground, and seeing that all Dragon Balls were now nothing but mere stones. The stubborn Saiyan Prince had ruined his plans, something that Freeza was willing to make him pay for.</p><p>"I always knew you'd turn on me someday, Vegeta. I just didn't know <em>when</em>," Freeza hissed with an acidic seethe, his tail whipping impatiently behind him, eliciting hard swallows from the Earthlings in front of him. "Now I see, you were waiting for the stakes to get higher before doing it, <em>weren't</em> you?"</p><p>Freeza snickered devilishly at Vegeta, while the others tried to get away from his reach as stealthily as they could. "A valid effort, that in the end didn't amount to anything, <strong>did</strong> it?" The pale lilac lizard tyrant grinned, making Vegeta clench his teeth tightly. "I hope you've enjoyed your little rebellion. Now it's <em>over</em>, my reckless little warrior! I will make you <strong>suffer</strong>, Vegeta!" Freeza's sharp voice echoed loudly across the field, making everyone fly away from Freeza, all but the Saiyan Prince.</p><p>Vegeta snorted angrily at Freeza, "Like I <em>care</em> about what <strong>you</strong> think," Vegeta sneered coarsely, spitting on the ground, glowering at Freeza with an enraged glare. "<strong>I quit!</strong> I am <em>free</em> now, Freeza! Having been nice to you all those years makes me want to vomit!" He mocked soberly, eliciting a cold smile from the pale alien in front of him.</p><p>"That's right, Vegeta! Live boldly, even if it's only for a few moments," Freeza snapped, his fist clenched firmly aside his body, all while his massive ki was starting to rise, shaking the earth beneath them, as Freeza himself created a gravity field around his small body. <em>"You will die as pathetically as all the other Saiyan monkeys!"</em></p><p>"<em>I know what you did Freeza!"</em> Vegeta howled, his voice fueled with hatred, as he managed to keep his bulk on the ground. "<em>I know it was you!</em> You <strong>destroyed</strong> my planet and <strong>killed</strong> everyone! Dodoria told me everything!"</p><p>Freeza laughed cruelly, urging forth even more disgust from the enraged Saiyan Prince. "He did have a big mouth, but did he tell you <em>how</em> I killed the arrogant monkey called King Vegeta?"</p><p>Krillin and Gohan glanced at each other for a moment, before returning their gaze to the scene playing out before them. They didn't know about Vegeta's past, and were surprised to hear it first-hand. They glanced back at Freeza, who was seemingly enjoying the conversation.</p><p>"You probably don't remember your father very much, do you Vegeta?" Freeza murmured somberly, still with his evil smirk printed on his lips, the earth now steadying as Freeza stopped charging up his ki. "You probably don't, you were only a small child when your father delivered you to me."</p><p>"However, I knew better," Freeza snickered, his tail curling slowly behind him, as his condescending words came out of his mouth. "I knew that King Vegeta wouldn't just <em>hand</em> over his own son. I knew he was plotting against me, so he could have saved you, along with your pathetic planet."</p><p>Vegeta furrowed his brows as Freeza continued his speech. "That's why I accepted to welcome him onto my ship. I knew he'd try to kill me," Freeza burst out in laughter, as his venomous words reached to the very depths of Vegeta's mind.</p><p>"Killing your father was <em>shamefully</em> easy. One snap, and he dropped dead on the ground like crap! And then I laughed as I watched your planet perish, gone forever!"</p><p>Gohan glanced at Vegeta from a distance, noticing fists trembling aside his body, his features hardened. Gohan bit his lower lip; wondering if somehow the Saiyan warrior was concealing all his emotions from Freeza, due to the terrible things the alien lizard was telling him.</p><p>"That arrogant fool died like an insect! <em>And so will you!</em>" Freeza spat to the Saiyan Prince, who was unmoving in his battle stance.</p><p>"It is <em>you</em> who will die today, Freeza!" Vegeta growled, his hateful gaze fixed on the pink and lilac fleshed lizard. "You were afraid of the whole Saiyan race. You were afraid that we would finally become the legend that you fear so much!" Vegeta growled threateningly, "You'll die by a Saiyan's hand!"</p><p>"How dare you challenge me, Vegeta?" Freeza snapped coldly, shaking his head in disapproval. "Have you forgotten what I <em>really</em> am? I'm going to wipe that smirk right off your face!"</p><p>Vegeta smirked at Freeza, ready to fight.</p><p>"Will see about that," Vegeta said, before dashing towards Freeza, ready to engage in a fight to the death with that blasted bastard once for all. The Saiyan Prince blasted a vigorous energy ball towards his direction. However, Freeza was faster, and he effortlessly dodged the Saiyan's attack, completely nullifying energy in the blink of an eye. The Saiyan Prince stepped on the ground and glanced back, just in time to see Freeza shooting several laser strikes at him, aiming to kill the stubborn warrior.</p><p>Vegeta could avoid getting hit easily, but by the look on Freeza's face, he didn't seem all that impressed. However, to his surprise, Gohan and Krillin appeared out of nowhere, aiming their attacks towards Freeza's back, in what seemed like an attempt to give Vegeta some cover.</p><p>Freeza smiled and glanced over the Earthlings who were caught off-guard by his move. With a new target in his sight, the evil tyrant aimed his laser shots towards the other warriors, who barely escaped the attack.</p><p>"C'mon, boys" Freeza taunted, still shooting lasers through his finger tips, as his evil laughter resounded throughout the heavy atmosphere. "You are <em>all</em> invited to the party!"</p><p>Gohan and Krillin tried to take cover from the lasers shooting in their direction. Soon, Freeza's attacks caused a foggy, dirty cloud around them, making it especially hard to see anything through the thick air.</p><p>"He's too strong, Krillin!" Gohan cried out, shielding his head with his hands as more laser beams struck, aimed in their direction. For a moment, Gohan dared to glance up, only to be horrified that Freeza had uncovered their hiding spot. His eyes widened as Freeza smirked lethally at him and Krillin.</p><p>"<em>Gohan! Duck!"</em> Krillin shouted, grabbing Gohan's arm, and trying to push the boy as far from Freeza's reach as possible. However, to their surprise, someone had stepped in between the laser blasts.</p><p>Krillin glanced up, only to find Vegeta with his right arm up, as he had just blocked one of Freeza's attacks, preventing it from killing them.</p><p>Freeza snorted at Vegeta, who only smirked slyly. "You see, Freeza! You are not dealing with the average Saiyan warrior anymore," Vegeta stated as he stood proudly, lowering his arm, his obsidian glare locked onto his enemy. "You will now face the true power of the legendary Super Saiyan."</p><p>Freeza laughed at the Prince's words. "You are only a filthy <strong>monkey</strong>, Vegeta! <em>That's what you truly are!</em>"</p><p>Once more, Freeza blasted into high speed towards Vegeta, who didn't budge. Instead, Vegeta chose to grab Freeza's hand, challenging him while he raised his own power to the maximum.</p><p>Both grunted loudly, as their power levels rose immensely; blasting the dirt out from underneath them once again. Vegeta's power increased to the point that even Freeza's new scouter couldn't bear his new potential. The device shattered into pieces in front of Freeza's startled sanguine eyes. The tension was so high that not even the ground could support their strength, and a massive crater collapsed the ground beneath their feet with the sheer force of gravity both auras were creating. Vegeta dashed out of the crater, quickly followed by Freeza, who came up in front of the Saiyan Prince.</p><p>The pale-lilac lizard snickered once more at Vegeta, "I can see that you've been training, Vegeta. How adorable." Freeza taunted, in a deadpan voice.</p><p>"Brag about yourself all you want, Freeza," the Saiyan crowded out cockily. "You've tasted my power now. You know that I can defeat you, Freeza. <em>Here and now!</em>"</p><p>"Allow me to show you something Vegeta," the evil tyrant smirked at the Saiyan Prince. "Something that even your father hadn't seen in his lifetime." Vegeta's eyes widened at the remark, as he felt the power level of his enemy starting to increase once again.</p><p>Freeza began to power up, howling angrily as the earth beneath his feet began to shake once more; waves crashed against the cliffs at their backs as Freeza evolved into his second form.</p><hr/><p>Piccolo was flying as fast as he could, trying to sense out Gohan's energy. He was still getting used to his new strength, now that he had fused with his Namekian countryman, Nail.</p><p>"<em>I can feel Freeza's energy, it's becoming stronger!"</em> Nail's voice echoed inside Piccolo's mind. <em>"He's even stronger than when I first fought him," </em>Nail continued, eliciting an angered grunt from Piccolo, who was not pleased with the news coming from inside his mind. Piccolo kept flying fast, as he recalled the last time Nail had battled with Freeza, and was trying to prepare himself for the upcoming fight.</p><p>Suddenly, his eyes caught something floating ahead of him. The tall green-skinned man narrowed his eyes as he flew towards this new target.</p><p>"<em>Do you think it's him?"</em> Piccolo asked Nail from inside his mind. <em>"There's a huge power level coming from there. It has to be him,"</em> Nail answered his new partner. The fused super Namekian clenched his teeth, blasting into high speed toward Freeza's location. As he finally was close enough, Piccolo at last saw Freeza floating in the sky.</p><p>"<em>He is… different than before,"</em> Nail observed from inside the Namekian's mind, noticing how Freeza no longer was small and elderly looking. He was now taller, and much bulkier. His muscle mass had grown exponentially larger, sporting a taller and more defined shape with his new form. His face was also more angled and sharper, while his horns had grown longer, and curved sharply upwards into near right angles.</p><p>Piccolo glanced at the other figures floating in the sky near Freeza, finally being able to sense the energy he so desperately was yearning to feel. <em>"Gohan…"</em> Piccolo murmured, surprised, seeing that his young pupil was still alive and blasting powerful energy waves towards Freeza, along with Krillin and Vegeta. At that sight, Piccolo's heavy heart lightened slightly inside his chest.</p><p>"<em>Don't worry, Gohan, I'm coming!"</em></p><p>Piccolo dashed in front of Gohan, preventing Freeza's attack from reaching the young Saiyan. Piccolo blocked the attack effortlessly, sending the laser blast away from them, and startling everyone in sight with his brave attack upon entrance.</p><p>Freeza frowned at the newcomer; recognizing the resemblance for a moment. He snickered slyly at Piccolo. "Well, well. I see you managed to survive, Namekian."</p><p>Nail grunted angrily inside Piccolo's mind, being glad for a moment for the opportunity to beat up the cruel tyrant, desiring revenge for all the bad things he had done to his planet. Nail's rage peaked through Piccolo's mood, who was now just as pissed at Freeza as his mind-sharing roommate.</p><p>"Mr. Piccolo!" Gohan exclaimed excitedly, happy to finally see his old friend back to life, taking Piccolo out of his thoughts for a brief moment. "<em>It worked!</em> The Dragon really brought you back!" Piccolo glanced over his shoulder, meeting Gohan's dark, beaming eyes.</p><p>"Good to see you, Gohan," the tall Namekian murmured coldly, not taking his eyes away from Freeza's. "So that's him? Freeza?"</p><p>Gohan nodded his head sharply, eliciting a grunt from Piccolo. "I see. We will see how <em>unbeatable</em> he is," Piccolo uttered somberly, receiving a sharp gasp from Vegeta.</p><p>"<em>Who the </em><em><strong>hell</strong></em><em> are you?</em>" The Saiyan Prince hissed, coming closer to the green-skinned man in mid-air. "Are you another helpless Namekian?" He accused harshly, gaining a shrug from Piccolo.</p><p>"You should keep your mouth shut," Piccolo hissed, without even glancing at Vegeta.</p><p>"<em>What?!"</em> Vegeta gasped, finally recognizing the alien in front of him. "Wait. I remember you. You were defeated on Earth pitifully easy," he snorted bitterly, crossing his arms over this chest. "What a waste of a wish."</p><p>Piccolo ignored Vegeta's words, his full attention on the tyrant floating ahead of him. "Enough of this. <strong>You will fight me, Freeza!</strong>" Piccolo articulated angrily, his deep voice reverberating through the tension in the air, reaching Freeza's ears, much to his dislike.</p><p>"Another pathetic <strong>slug</strong> Namekian!" Freeza shouted in a deep voice, thoroughly pissed, his red, bloodthirsty eyes glowering in his rage. "I will crush your bones just as I did with the other slugs on this damned planet!"</p><p>Freeza dashed toward Piccolo, aiming to hit him right in the chest. However, Piccolo was much faster than the pasty behemoth lizard anticipated, and he easily dodged the attack, the opening allowing him to punch under Freeza's chin in a sharp jab. Freeza quickly regained his balance, flying towards Piccolo at full speed, and kicking him in the back viciously.</p><p>Piccolo wasn't harmed by that. He dashed once more over to the tyrant, throwing several punches and kicks at him rapidly, while Freeza tried to block the Namekian's attacks.</p><p>Vegeta couldn't believe what his eyes were seeing. The Namekian was able to fight hand to hand with Freeza. The first time, he couldn't even beat Nappa, and now, his strength was comparable to Freeza's. However, his eyes wouldn't trick him, and as much as Piccolo could fight with Freeza at that moment, the Saiyan Prince could still sense that his power level was inferior.</p><p>"He won't last," Vegeta murmured to himself, making Krillin glance at him with quizzical eyes. However, before the bald warrior could ask any questions, the battle between Piccolo and Freeza caught everyone's attention, as the evil tyrant finally managed to overpower him with a vicious punch in Piccolo's diaphragm; his attack hurtling the tall Namekian straight into a plateau, pulverizing the rocks, and creating a dense dirt smoke all around the impact area.</p><p>"<em>Mr. Piccolo!"</em> Gohan yelled desperately, trying as hard as he could to sense his old master's energy signature.</p><p>Fortunately, Piccolo was still alive, and managed to get out of the piles of rocks, blasting them into the air dramatically as he levitated in the sky slowly, heading towards Freeza once more. The tall Namekian glared into the reddish, evil eyes of the alien tyrant. "Don't think you have the upper hand! I'm still warming up!" Piccolo taunted, eliciting only a sharp laugh from the pale-lilac lizard.</p><p>"Oh! <em>Is that so?</em> What a coincidence," Freeza murmured wryly to the Namekian, as he lowered towards the ground, being carefully followed by Piccolo. "I'm just warming up too," he continued, as he smiled maliciously, making the green-skinned man frown at his words.</p><p>"Maybe I could show you my <em>third</em> form."</p><p>Piccolo widened his eyes, just in time to see Freeza starting the transformation process. The alien tyrant began to grunt loudly, as his power level increased once more to stupendous highs.</p><p>"This is not looking good," Krillin murmured worriedly, observing from a distance in mid-air Freeza's transformation on the ground. The tall form of the tyrant was shrinking slightly, while his skull had elongated to unnatural extremes. His facial features had contorted and changed drastically, his nose melding into his mouth to form a crude beak. His angled horns had receded and were now white in color, erupting in pairs along the length of his head. Two pairs of spikes grew out of his back and curved upward, as he stood upright with a slight hunch, giving a more bestial demeanor to his figure.</p><p>"Do you think you can stop me now, Namekian?" Freeza taunted Piccolo, who was already in his fighting stance. The alien tyrant dashed through the air, followed by Piccolo, who tried to hit him at any cost, but his moves were now too slow compared to Freeza's third form.</p><p>Freeza laughed hysterically as he watched Piccolo's pathetic attempts at hitting him. "Tsk, <em>poor</em> Namekian. Can't you touch me anymore?" he tutted cockily, before blasting a huge energy wave at Piccolo, who was tossed away by the impact.</p><p>Freeza, with a cold smile on his face then shot a barrage of laser beams at Piccolo's body, who cried out in pain every time he got hit, the beams tearing small holes in his clothes, leaving purple-ish wounds.</p><p>Vegeta and the Earthlings witnessed Piccolo slowly losing his energy with each of the massive injuries he was suffering through. Gohan was starting to quiver nervously in the air, his mind racing with all sorts of emotions as he tried to think of a way to save the life of his friend.</p><p>Suddenly, Vegeta remembered something very important. Moments before Piccolo arrived, he had witnessed that the Namekian kid, Dende as the others called him, had healing powers. In fact, he was able to save both Krillin from after being impaled alive by Freeza, as well as Gohan, who had tried to defeat Freeza hand to hand, much to his regret.</p><p>He glanced at the ground, trying to find the Namekian child somewhere. Luckily, the little boy was hidden behind some rocks, peeking carefully through them to see the fight that was going on. However, before Vegeta could form a proper plan, Gohan's voice brought everyone back to reality. The Saiyan Prince glanced up, just in time to see the young Saiyan flying towards Freeza and Piccolo.</p><p>"I won't let Mr. Piccolo die again!" Gohan shouted, before basting at high speed.</p><p>"Gohan! <strong>No!</strong>" Krillin shouted desperately, and tried to follow the young warrior in order to stop him, when he felt something pulling his leg back. When Krillin glanced over his shoulder, he found Vegeta, holding his leg.</p><p>"You, Baldy! Pay attention to what I'm about to tell you!" Vegeta hissed, his obsidian eyes locked on Krillin's. The bald warrior swallowed hard before nodding sharply to the Saiyan Prince still holding his leg harshly. "I need you to <em>strike</em> me as <em>hard</em> as you can<strong>."</strong></p><p>Krillin widened his eyes for a moment, asking himself if he had indeed heard him correctly. "You need me… to <em>strike you</em>?"</p><p>"Did I stutter?" Vegeta sneered impatiently, as the bald warrior swallowed hard again, shaking his head no to the Saiyan warrior. "If you want to live, you have to follow me on this!" He yelled angrily, before losing his grip on Krillin's white boot, who turned around to face Vegeta in the eyes. "Hit me, so I can get the little green man over there to heal me."</p><p>Krillin frowned at Vegeta. "But… why should I hit you… if you're just going to get healed right away?"</p><p>Vegeta snorted angrily, shortening the distance between them, and grabbing Krillin by his chest armor. "You idiot! I get stronger every time I'm pushed to the limit of death!" He snapped, glaring intensely at the bald warrior. "Hit me now, or I'll give you <em>another</em> reason, besides Freeza killing your little friend there to do it!"</p><p>Vegeta had a clear idea running inside his mind. If he was beaten up within inches of his life, it would only push him further to become even stronger, to finally achieve Super Saiyan status.</p><p>In the next second, Krillin quickly blasted him with a precise energy blast, successfully wounding Vegeta's chest, cutting right through the armor. Vegeta gasped, surprised, falling freely to the ground. Once he hit the dirt, he tried to turn around, coughing up blood in the blue grass.</p><p>Krillin glanced in panic at Vegeta on the ground, his hands trembling as an unsettling thought came to mind. "Shit… if I've killed Vegeta… Bulma will <em>murder</em> me." Krillin glanced back at Gohan, who was now helping Piccolo fight against Freeza. The bald man felt a bit torn between helping his friends, and what he had just done to Vegeta.</p><p>However, Vegeta managed to crawl towards Dende's hiding spot. Once he was close enough, Dende could hear Vegeta's heavy panting growing near. The child turned around, and was startled, seeing the wounded Saiyan crawling towards his direction, blood dripping uncontrollably from the fresh wound in his chest.</p><p>"You… Namekian…," Vegeta moaned in pain, his arms and legs trembling from exhaustion. He glanced up, only to see the boy shaking from the sight. Dende tried to step back from Vegeta, only to be cornered between the rocks of his hidden spot.</p><p>"Please… don't hurt me…" Dende whimpered, covering his eyes hopelessly as he sobbed, the terrifying image of the rude warrior haunting inside his mind.</p><p>"I will… not," Vegeta grunted through his harried breathing, before his face fell heavily in the dirt. Krillin had hit him harder than he thought he would. Vegeta snorted angrily to himself, making a mental note to kill that little bastard as soon as he could. He sighed heavily, feeling his own energy slipping through his fingers, as more blood was coming out of the wound. He was going to die, and the bald warrior would be the one responsible for it. <em>How embarrassing</em>, Vegeta thought to himself, before closing his eyes, slowly, his own body too tired to react</p><p>"<em>Please… help me,</em>" Vegeta begged, his voice no louder than a mere whisper.</p><p>Dende heard his words, and dropped his hands from his face, finally staring at the warrior motionless on the ground. The boy sighed deeply for a moment, realizing that if he didn't do anything to help, Vegeta could die there. The choice tasted bittersweet in Dende's mouth, but he finally decided to help the wounded, yet rude Saiyan. It was because of what Guru has told him, to always be a kind soul.</p><p>Dende stumbled across the ground before running towards Vegeta, placing his trembling, chubby green fingers over his back, taking a moment to canalize all of his energy on the tip of his fingers. His antennae made buzzing with something like an electrical connection before he could start the healing process. However, Dende was startled with what he felt while healing the rude warrior.</p><p>After a few minutes, Vegeta finally reopened his eyes, feeling that the pain was no longer there. He glanced up, only in time to see Dende ending his process and raising up from the ground, his eyes staring at Vegeta owlishly, his hands were still trembling.</p><p>Vegeta stood up, taking a moment to feel his strength growing anew inside him. He was more powerful than he had ever imagined he would be. He sighed heavily as he smirked proudly to himself, feeling that he finally had achieved his Super Saiyan state.</p><p>He glanced back at Dende, who flinched at Vegeta, feeling that he may get hit at any time by the warrior. Vegeta, however, chose only to nod at Dende, as if he was thanking him for using his healing powers on him at the last minute.</p><p>The kid blinked; bewildered at the Saiyan Prince, but before he could say anything, Gohan and Krillin appeared behind them, both of them carrying a very injured Piccolo.</p><p>"Dende! We need your help!" Gohan yelled anxiously, dragging Piccolo closer to the younger Namekian as quickly as possible. The green child ran eagerly toward his older brother, quickly placing his hands over his body, and starting the healing process all over again.</p><p>"Where's Freeza?" Vegeta asked everyone, who quickly glanced back at him.</p><p>"He's transforming into his final form," Gohan murmured cheerlessly, glancing at the horizon to the spot where Freeza was once again performing another transformation.</p><p>"Hey… Vegeta," Krillin murmured shakily, glancing up hesitantly as Vegeta glowered at him, his eyes throwing daggers. "Are we…<em>cool…</em>?"</p><p>Vegeta crossed his arms over his chest, gritting his teeth at the bald man. "Once I defeat Freeza, you'd better stay <em>out </em>of my way, <strong>Baldy</strong>." Krillin swallowed hard, somehow relieved that Vegeta didn't want to kill him at <em>that</em> moment. Gohan frowned at both adults; trying to understand what had happened between them.</p><p>"How could you be so sure <em>you</em> are going to kill Freeza?" Piccolo's voice made everyone glance back to him, now fully healed. He was back to his feet, healed all thanks to Dende's efforts.</p><p>Vegeta smirked cockily. "Now that my power has increased, it's time to let my fists do the talking and show you morons the mighty power of a Super Saiyan." Everyone glanced at Vegeta, speechless by just how confident he seemed to be.</p><p>However, in the next second, the following events happened in a blink of an eye.</p><p>Freeza had finally completed his final transformation, standing across the field from them in the form that he was born in. It was drastically different from his previous transformations, since Freeza had shrunk considerably, becoming sleek, and only somewhat taller than his first form. He stood as a white, lizard-like, almost harmless-looking creature. There were no longer horns, or spikes attached to him, as his skin had become pure, solid white with glossy purple segments on his head, shoulders, forearms, abdomen, and shins. His tail slithered slowly behind him, as his lethal, sanguine red eyes hungrily took in his new target.</p><p>Freeza smiled icily as he raised his pale index finger up; his black, shining nail aiming his deathly beam ahead of him.</p><p>The warriors in front of Freeza didn't even have time to move, and before any of them could react to Freeza's attack, a big blast echoed behind them. When all of them turned their backs to glance at what had been hit, all of them were slack-jawed as they found Dende's dead body, laying meters away from them. Freeza had killed the poor little Namekian without any warning.</p><p>"<em>Dende! </em><em><strong>No!"</strong></em> Gohan yelled angrily, his eyes not believing what he was seeing.</p><p>"That little green runt was disturbing my performance," Freeza's sharp voice echoed throughout the fields, bringing everyone's attention back onto him. "No more healing tricks, you pathetic fools! Your little magical slug is dead!" Freeza laughed heartily, watching as Dende's body was still steaming from the blast.</p><p>Gohan clenched his teeth, as the sight of his new friend dead weighed heavily inside his heart. He couldn't do anything to prevent his death, and here was Freeza, mocking the poor boy's fate. However, before Gohan could do anything, Freeza disappeared before his very eyes. The young warrior widened his gaze, glancing around for any trace of the cruel tyrant. Suddenly, the young Saiyan felt the hackles rise on the back of his neck as he sensed someone standing right behind him.</p><p>To his total surprise, before Freeza could hit Gohan from behind, Vegeta dove in and pushed the kid away with his own weight, preventing Freeza's lethal attack from harming them both. Gohan glanced back at Vegeta, bewildered, who was now standing with his back turned to the boy, facing the evil Freeza.</p><p>"Enough with your games, Freeza," Vegeta hissed huskily, his hand raised in the air, already aiming at Freeza. "It's now only you and me!"</p><p>Freeza glanced at Vegeta and smiled coyly, waiting for the enraged warrior to show all of his power. Vegeta accepted the invitation, and propelled himself towards Freeza, blasting masterful energy waves towards the lizard tyrant, rocking the ground with each powerful attack he displayed.</p><p>Vegeta stood in mid-air, watching through the heavy, dirt filled smoke his attack had created around his enemy. He breathed heavily as he patiently waited for the fog to disappear. However, once the thick air was gone, Vegeta faced a barely scratched Freeza in front of him, as if his attacks had no effect.</p><p>Freeza snickered at Vegeta. "Looks like you're not a <em>super </em>Saiyan, after all."</p><p>Vegeta furrowed his brows, not understanding how his new power level could leave so little harm on his opponent. Still in mid-air, Vegeta began to charge his energy once more, loading all the power he had within to the surface, as he clenched his teeth harshly inside his mouth.</p><p>He knew he needed to end Freeza once and for all, and right now was his only chance. He had never been this powerful before in his whole life, as he felt his power almost burning around his body, electrifying all the surroundings nearby. Piccolo and the Earthlings dashed away from the battlefield as Vegeta's power levels were increasing immensely once more.</p><p>Vegeta roared loudly as he felt he had achieved the maximum of his power. His obsidian eyes were darker than ever, as his whole body was radiating his enraged strength. He glanced at Freeza, standing on the ground with his signature smirk upon his lips, as the tyrant observed the warrior without flinching.</p><p>"TAKE ALL MY SAIYAN WRATH!"</p><p>Vegeta bellowed full-heartily as he hurled a huge, bright purple energy blast down towards Freeza. The mighty blast hurled fast towards Freeza, as a hot wave washed all over the atmosphere from its intensity. However, before Vegeta could even blink, Freeza blocked the attack and bounced the energy blast up at Vegeta, who had almost no time to avoid being hit. The energy blast exploded in the green sky with a deafening outbreak, leaving Vegeta speechless in mid-air, with his fists hanging loosely aside his body.</p><p>"Wh… what…" Vegeta murmured weakly to himself, as he glanced back to Freeza, who had managed to block his most powerful attack like it was <em>nothing</em>. Humiliation washed all over the Saiyan Prince's heart. He had achieved a power never known before, and yet it was nothing compared to Freeza.</p><p>Vegeta felt a knot forming inside his throat, as hot tears of anger blurred his vision. He gasped as the truth came to surface in his mind. There was no way he could ever defeat Freeza. All he had done was in vain, and now he could die by the filthy hands of the tyrant that had ripped away his entire race, that killed his father, and tortured him throughout the years.</p><p>Vegeta was doomed; he knew that from the bottom of his heart. He glanced back to Freeza, who now had decided to float up from the ground, and meet Vegeta in the green sky.</p><p>"Now… it's <em>my</em> turn." Freeza grinned mischievously, his lethal glance over the hopeless Saiyan warrior, as he floated slowly towards Vegeta. "Shall we begin?"</p><hr/><p>Bulma could hear the horrifying sound of blasting and explosions coming from not very far away from where she was. Driving her hoverbike had become quite a task, since she had encountered all kinds of obstacles on her way; from earthquakes, to inexplicable cracks in the earth beneath her. After seeing her friends fighting in the last few days, she quickly concluded that it was all due to the battle they were probably having at the moment with Freeza.</p><p>"Guys, c'mon," Bulma murmured to herself, pressing the accelerator even faster to the location where the blasts were glowing brightly in the sky. "Please, hold up." Her heart was aching inside her chest, but although she was terrified by the simple thought of seeing Freeza, she couldn't bear the idea of not reaching her friends in time to help them. Whatever could she possibly do?</p><p>Suddenly, a figure caught her attention. She narrowed her eyes, seeing a tall, green man standing not so far away. He was definitely a Namekian, but it took Bulma a few seconds to finally recognize Piccolo. She widened her eyes for a moment, only then catching two more figures alongside him. Her heart warmed inside her chest when she saw both Gohan and Krillin.</p><p>"Krillin! Gohan!" Bulma shouted, her voice cracking slightly from the dryness of her throat. However, to her surprise, neither of them turned around to face her. They all seemed too concentrated on whatever was happening in front of them.</p><p>Bulma frowned at that, deciding to finally stop her hoverbike, and left it on the grass, running towards her friends as fast as she could.</p><p>"Guys! I'm here!" Bulma yelled breathlessly as she reached her friends, startling all of them, as they finally turned around to see the blue-haired woman joining them.</p><p>"Bulma…" Krillin's voice failed, as he muttered hesitantly at her. "What are you… why are you here?" He asked desperately, his baleful eyes staring at her in confusion.</p><p>"Vegeta… he left me behind," she murmured worriedly, only then realizing that the Saiyan Prince was not among them, nor was Goku. "Wait… where's Goku? Where is Vegeta, Krillin?!" She asked quickly, as her panicked thoughts assumed that the absence of them both could only mean bad things.</p><p>Bulma could see the bitterness in Krillin's eyes. He only shook his head for a moment as he slowly turned his back to Bulma, pointing a trembling finger to the battle happening in front of their eyes.</p><p>Bulma narrowed her eyes so that she could see better. Her heart stopped for a moment, before aching drastically inside her chest as she was able to see with her bare eyes that there was no battle going on, but something much worse. She could see how Vegeta was laying, beaten up on the ground, his blood flowing freely from several wounds all across his face and body. She could see the severe bruises and cuts through his broken armor, as a short, pale alien approached the Saiyan Prince, pressing his three-fingered foot over the Saiyan's chest, making Vegeta howl in pain.</p><p>Vegeta was in the worst shape Bulma had ever witnessed before. She glanced at the monstrous alien that was responsible for his injuries, noticing an evil grin upon his dark lips, as he was likely enjoying seeing all the pain he was inflicting. There was no doubt for Bulma; that monster was Freeza.</p><p>"VEGETA!" Bulma cried out, her mind spinning like crazy with the hideous scene displaying in front of her. She tried to run at him, but Piccolo quickly grabbed her right arm, preventing her from doing it.</p><p>"If you go there, you'll die!" Piccolo hissed seriously, firmly holding her arm as he stared deep into her beaming eyes, ignoring Bulma's attempts to free from his grip.</p><p>"<em>If I don't go, he'll die!</em>" She wailed, her tears blurring her vision as she glared up at the rude green-skinned man. "Why are you <em>not</em> helping him?!" She begged, glancing back at both Krillin and Gohan. The young boy glanced down to his own feet, ashamed, while Krillin sighed heavily, reaching for Bulma's hand.</p><p>"I'm so sorry, Bulma…" he began to say, his voice lower than ever, as he squeezed her hand in his. "There's nothing we <em>can</em> do to help him… Freeza… he's just <strong>too</strong> powerful." He glanced away from his friend shamefully, as more tears streamed down her face. Krillin felt a wash of hatred over his heart. Not only because Freeza's power level was beyond their league, but now, his oldest friend was being forced to see the man she obviously cared for suffer a horrible death.</p><p>Bulma kneeled on the ground hopelessly, as her shoulders began to shake from her crying. She squeezed her eyes shut, still able to hear more agonized howls coming from Vegeta, following the appalling sound of bones cracking, as the Saiyan Prince was bawling his heart out from the excruciating pain.</p><p>Freeza grinned proudly at his work, as if putting that arrogant monkey in his place was one of his favorite hobbies. Freeza glanced up to where the Earthlings were, all of them unable to move a single muscle to stop him. They all stared at Freeza with wide eyes, eliciting a cold snickering from the alien tyrant.</p><p>"Look, Vegeta," Freeza murmured sharply, as his tail moved beneath the wounded warrior, wrapping around his neck and raising him from the dirt. "We have a little audience here to watch your miserable suffering."</p><p>Vegeta tried to cough for air, but Freeza's tail gripping around his neck was too tight. The Saiyan Prince was only able to open one eye, his vision blurry from the brutal punches and kicks to the face he had suffered. His heart skipped a beat when he was able to see a glimpse of blue shining in front of him, a startling thought came to view. <em>No, please no,</em> he begged inside his mind. However, all the worries he had were washed away as soon as Freeza threw a powerful punch right over his back, hitting his left kidney so firmly that Vegeta coughed out blood from the agonizing pain.</p><p>Bulma opened her eyes at the sound of Vegeta crying out in pain. The pain she felt in her heart was almost too much to bear, as she found herself on the edge of fainting. However, her eyes were fixed on the horrible scene being displayed before her, as Freeza continued to throw more punches over Vegeta's back, worsening his already severe injuries.</p><p>"<em>Please… stop it,"</em> Bulma begged; crestfallen, her voice no louder than a whisper. Freeza couldn't listen to her pleadings, as he continued his torture section. After minutes that went like an eternity passed, Freeza finally decided to toss Vegeta towards the rocky walls of a mountain nearby. The Saiyan warrior dropped heavily on the ground, as nearly no energy was left in his sore body.</p><p>Freeza walked closer to Vegeta, grabbing the collar of his armor in his hand, while his reddish eyes stared at the weakened figure still breathing in front of him. Vegeta tried to reopen his eyes, but he regretted it the moment he did. All he could see from where he was were the Earthlings staring at him, and among them, he finally managed to find Bulma's gaze staring at him.</p><p><em>No, please</em>, he begged inside his mind, as his heart weighed as never before within his chest. If she was there, he had failed in everything he tried to achieve. Not even her, he wouldn't be able to save Bulma from Freeza's claws.</p><p>"It pains me to see you like this, Vegeta," Freeza hissed, glancing at Vegeta's distressed eyes, bringing the wounded warrior back from his wailing. "I'll put an end to your misery," he murmured, raising his pale hand over the Saiyan's heart, preparing to blast his final, merciful attack.</p><p>However, before Freeza would have performed his death beam, faster than lightning, a new, orange dressed, warrior arrived. Goku had finally broken through the Regeneration Chamber, and appeared right before his friends, who glanced back at him, bewildered.</p><p>"<em>Dad!"</em> Gohan exclaimed loudly, his voice both worried and relieved at the sight of his father. Goku placed his hand tenderly over his son's hair, proud to see that his son was still alive, after all the battles he had been following from the inside the Regeneration Chamber.</p><p>"Hey, Piccolo. It's good to see you're back, and a lot stronger!" Goku said to the tall, green man, who smiled relieved to see him as well. "I'm proud of you guys! You handled yourselves the best you could, with all the fighting here." He smiled proudly at his friends. "Now it's my turn against that Freeza guy."</p><p>Goku narrowed his eyes as soon as he saw Bulma kneeling next to Krillin. He hadn't sensed her energy before, and he frowned at how distressed she seemed to be. She raised from the ground stumbling, heading closer to him.</p><p>"Goku, please!" Bulma came closer to him, grabbing his gi with her trembling fingers as her reddened eyes glanced sorrowfully into his. "You've got to help Vegeta! <em>Please!</em> Don't let Freeza kill him!" She begged him, her voice weak and cracking through her sobbing. Goku glanced back at Bulma's beaming eyes, grabbing her hands softly and nodding his head to her firmly.</p><p>"I promise," he murmured to her, receiving a shaking nod from his oldest friend. Goku glared at Freeza, who was still staring; intrigued at the newcomer. The warrior walked briskly towards the tyrant; his glare more serious than before.</p><p>"You must be Freeza," Goku hissed across the field. "Listen up. Whatever business you had with Vegeta, you can take it up with me now."</p><p>Freeza frowned at Goku, glancing back at Vegeta for a brief moment, before snickering devilishly. "Oh, my! I couldn't dare believe that Vegeta managed to make a friend," Freeza mocked somberly. "Look at him, Vegeta. He's all concerned!"</p><p>Vegeta tried to glance up to Kakarot, now standing very close to them. He couldn't believe that his life was now in the hands of that clown. However, Vegeta knew he was in no position to argue about it. Even within inches of his life, he could feel glimpses of the Saiyan's power that he was hiding from Freeza. He was stronger than before, now that he was fully healed once again.</p><p>"You… should be… the one concerned… Freeza," Vegeta stammered weakly as he tried to sit up, bringing everyone's attention back on him. "He's… a Saiyan. He… is… a Super… Saiyan."</p><p>Vegeta knew he was only pissing off Freeza, but he didn't care. It was only a matter of time until he would die, and if Kakarot could somehow beat Freeza, so be it. Vegeta lifted his head the best he could; his eyes glaring at Freeza, who was seemingly irritated by Vegeta's words. Vegeta smirked cockily.</p><p>"You will die… by a Saiyan's hand."</p><p>In the next second, everything happened very fast. Freeza finally had enough of the Saiyan Prince's insults. He raised his index finger at Vegeta, aiming for his heart. However, Goku was fully aware of the whole situation. Before Freeza's death beam could hit Vegeta in the heart, Goku jumped in front of the Saiyan Prince, deflecting the attack effortlessly, preventing Vegeta from imminent death.</p><p>"<em>That's enough, Freeza!"</em> Goku growled angrily. "I won't let you kill anyone else!" The warrior said before he began to charge his own power, getting ready to engage in battle against Freeza.</p><p>As soon as Freeza and Goku dashed away to engage their fight, Bulma ran over to Vegeta's body, lying wounded on the ground. She was trying the best she could to choke back her sobs, feeling her throat aching from the lump within it.</p><p>"Vegeta…" she whimpered; her voice throaty from sobbing. She kneeled next to him, carefully placing her trembling fingers over his broken upper armor. "Vegeta, please! Can you hear me?" she begged, exhaling shakily as his obsidian eyes finally met hers.</p><p>"What… are you… doing here," he whispered huskily, the pain he was suffering evident in his voice. Bulma couldn't help herself, seeing him up close, realizing how wounded he truly was, she started to cry all over again, as her hot tears streamed down her face sorrowfully.</p><p>"I am <em>not</em> leaving you, Vegeta!" She protested, her voice cracking through her sobs, her tears blurring her vision again. "Despite what you told me, I am choosing to be <em>here</em>. I'm <em>choosing</em> to be with you, Vegeta."</p><p>Vegeta glanced at her, furring his brows quizzically at her kind words. "Bulma…" he started, but she quickly cut him off, as more tears dampened her cheeks.</p><p>"No! You listen to me, Vegeta," she crowed at him weakly. "You better get better soon, do you hear me? If I'm going to punch you for what you told me, I want to do it when you're fully healed!"</p><p>"I am sorry, Bulma," Vegeta murmured huskily, making Bulma glance at him all of a sudden. "If I hurt you… That was not what I wanted," he sighed heavily, and Bulma gripped his hand tightly, bringing her face closer to his.</p><p>"I forgive you," she whispered softly, caressing his hand tenderly between hers. Although Vegeta didn't have much strength left in his body, that gesture startled him. He had done terrible things to her, things that now he regretted profoundly. And yet, here she was, saying that she wanted to be with him, taking care of him once more.</p><p>Vegeta didn't know what in life he had done to deserve such a thing. However, seeing how Bulma was glancing at him worriedly made him feel, deep inside his hardened heart that perhaps he deserved something good in life.</p><p>"Bulma…, please, listen to me," he began murmuring, trying his best to sit and stare at her, finding the task much harder than he first envisioned, before he dropped heavily on the ground once more. "You need to… get out of here… now," he said seriously, bringing out a desperate whine from her.</p><p>Before she could start arguing with him, Vegeta placed his torn, white-gloved hand over her left cheek, causing Bulma to close her eyes from the softness of his touch.</p><p>"If Freeza finds you…," he began, unable to finish the sentence himself. "You need to go and <em>leave</em> me behind," he begged her, noticing how she reopened her eyes and more tears came out of them.</p><p>"<em>I won't!" </em>she cried stubbornly, making Vegeta sigh heavily at her. "I'm not leaving you, and you are<em> not</em> giving up!" She moaned, grabbing his hand over her cheek and squeezing it hard. "Remember what you said? You are the Prince of all Saiyans, you <em>can't</em> be killed! They can bleed you dry to the edge of death, crush every bone in your body, but that will only make you even stronger! Please, Vegeta… <em>Don't leave me</em>," she whimpered helplessly, her big blue eyes beaming down at him.</p><p>"Bulma, I need to tell you something," Vegeta sighed, eliciting a nod from her, as he stared at her, deep into her eyes.</p><p>"In the last few days…" Vegeta muttered slowly, while his thumb moved a lock of her blue hair away from her dampened cheek, allowing him to see her delicate features clearly. "You gave me peace, in a lifetime of war," he said huskily, smiling shyly at her.</p><p>"Oh, Vegeta," Bulma moaned, before leaning in toward his face, her lips meeting his once more in a soft kiss, even as she could feel the taste of his blood on his dry lips.</p><p>Vegeta wasn't even bothered that they weren't alone, and that the other Earthlings were probably watching their display of affection. He didn't care about anything other than Bulma at that moment. He knew he was going to die from the injuries Freeza had inflicted on him, but he wouldn't have wished for anything else other than dying in her arms, while she kissed him so tenderly.</p><p>However, the tenderness of their intimate moment was sharply cut by Piccolo's voice that echoed behind them. "Goku needs help," the tall green-skinned man exclaimed suddenly, getting Bulma and Vegeta's attention. She glanced at Piccolo and found him staring at the place where Goku and Freeza were fighting.</p><p>"Freeza is too strong," Krillin murmured worriedly, glancing at the horizon. Bulma narrowed her eyes from the place she was, trying the best she could to see what the men were talking about, but she was clueless about what was going on between Freeza and Goku.</p><p>"Did you see how Freeza… tossed that <em>mountain</em> at my father?" Gohan muttered shakily, his eyes blazing with his fear, as his pupils followed their every move in the sky. However, Bulma whirled her head quickly back to Vegeta when she heard him moaning something.</p><p>"Kakarot… he underestimated… Freeza's power," Vegeta grunted heavily, his body still very weak, but holding into life firmly. "He won't… win… if he doesn't think."</p><p>"Vegeta, please, save your energy now," Bulma murmured softly, her hand caressing his cheek tenderly as she tried to cease his worries. However, Piccolo could hear what the Saiyan Prince was trying to say. His deep voice brought Bulma back from her wonders for a moment.</p><p>"Vegeta is right," the Namekian murmured coldly, glancing one more time at the location the energy waves were displaying from in the green sky. "Freeza will overcome Goku's strength. We need to plan something better than just throwing punches and kicks!"</p><p>Krillin glanced at Piccolo with wide eyes, and then looked back to his friend on the battlefield, noticing how Freeza wasn't even breaking a sweat, meanwhile, Goku was giving everything he had.</p><p>"But how…? Goku is giving everything he's got down there," Krillin whispered with his brow furrowed, as he watched nervously, Freeza was once again trying to drown the Saiyan warrior. Goku managed to break from the surface of the water, coughing harshly as Freeza grabbed him by his gi.</p><p>"Now, what do you have to say for yourself, monkey?" Freeza taunted Goku, who only coughed water back onto the pale cheek of the alien tyrant, who seemingly didn't enjoy his rude response. He tossed Goku away from him, watching as the warrior tumbled across the dirt, trying to stand up and continue their fighting. Freeza walked slowly towards Goku, kicking right into his stomach several times. Goku tried to move his body away from Freeza, but he only accomplished getting hit one more time, as Freeza kicked him meters away, the teeth of the Saiyan warrior rattling inside of his mouth.</p><p>Goku glanced up, knowing that he needed to plot something if he wanted to defeat Freeza. Suddenly, a clever thought came to mind. It was a risky attack, but he needed to give it a shot.</p><p>Goku raised his arms in the air, preparing himself to begin charging his Spirit Bomb attack. Freeza tilted his head at the strange behavior; not understanding what Goku was planning. Freeza dashed toward Goku, punching him right under his chin in order to stop his silly movements.</p><p>"What is he doing with his arms like that?" Piccolo hesitantly asked, causing Krillin and Gohan to glance back at him. A smile suddenly spread upon Krillin's face, as he finally realized what Goku was doing.</p><p>"He's charging a Spirit Bomb!" Krillin yelled loudly, all too excited with the idea, earning a dubious frown from the tall Namekian.</p><p>"Would that <em>work?"</em> Piccolo asked condescendingly, making Krillin's smile fade slowly from his lips.</p><p>"Well… he did it last time on Earth… with Vegeta," Krillin said cheerlessly, glancing at the Saiyan Prince laying over Bulma's lap, realizing that the Spirit Bomb hadn't killed Vegeta either. "Crap…" Krillin muttered under his breath, hearing a sharp breath from Bulma, who had listened to his words.</p><p>They glanced back at Goku, just in time to see Freeza punching him hard in his stomach, disturbing the charging of his powerful attack. However, suddenly an intense glare shone brightly in the sky, leaving them all slack-jawed at the huge size of the Spirit Bomb Goku had managed to create.</p><p>"That thing is huge!" Bulma exclaimed, bewildered, her eyes shining with the intense glare of the Spirit Bomb</p><p>"If Goku can't focus on the Spirit Bomb, he won't have a chance," Krillin murmured absently, eliciting a sharp nod from Piccolo.</p><p>"We have to do something," Piccolo's deep voice brought Krillin back, making the bald warrior turn around and face him. "You stay here while I will help Goku out there," he said seriously, before dashing over to the battlefield.</p><p>Freeza was at the edge of his patience, punching and kicking Goku with all the strength he had, when suddenly a bright light hit his sight, making him blink a few times in order to stop the annoying light. He glanced up, staring at the enormous energy ball above his head.</p><p>"What… what is that…?" Freeza murmured, quickly understanding that energy had been created by Goku, while he was standing his arms up in the air like he just didn't care. "<em>What is that!? Answer </em><em><strong>me</strong></em><em>, monkey!"</em></p><p>Goku smirked coyly at Freeza, before being hit harshly on the stomach. The Spirit Bomb wasn't ready yet, and now that Freeza had discovered his best plan, he doubted he could ever finish it.</p><p>However, to his fortunate surprise, Piccolo appeared out of nowhere, surprising Freeza with a sharp kick right in his torso, sending the cruel tyrant miles away from them.</p><p>"Piccolo…" Goku breathed, relieved, but Piccolo cut him off.</p><p>"No time! Talk. Plan now!"</p><p>"I still need to finish charging the Spirit Bomb," Goku said seriously, standing up from the ground, and raising his arms up in the air again. "You will have to distract him for a while, while I gather the remaining energy needed."</p><p>"For how long?"</p><p>"Five minutes."</p><p>"Dammit," Piccolo hissed testily, in time to see Freeza blasting in his direction, angrier than ever. Piccolo nodded his head at Goku, showing that he would try to follow their plan the best as he could.</p><p>Back away from the battlefield, the Earthlings watched as Piccolo struck several punches at Freeza, not having much luck with actually hitting the alien tyrant. Bulma felt Vegeta moving over her lap, as he tried to stand up from the ground. She quickly helped him to stand, noticing how serious his expression was. Vegeta stumbled a little as soon as he stood up, glancing coldly at the Namekian's attempt of distracting Freeza from Goku, without much success.</p><p>"They don't stand a chance," Vegeta murmured icily, stepping away from Bulma and sighing heavily, as he prepared himself to fly. His body was still aching like hell, and he highly doubted he could bear longer than a minute into the battle. But he just couldn't stand behind like a coward child, while others were fighting against Freeza. He, as the Prince of all Saiyans, should also be responsible for putting an end to that bastard's life once and for all.</p><p>However, he felt something pulling his right hand back. He didn't have to turn around to see that it was Bulma holding his hand. He sighed heavily, assuming that as soon as she realized what he was doing, she would try to prevent him from going. Against his better judgment, Vegeta turned around to see her face, not finding a wailing expression, and tears in her big blue eyes as he first assumed.</p><p>Bulma was staring at him with a determined gaze. Her eyes were beaming, but he could see the azure flames brightening within it, as never before. She squeezed his hand tightly for a moment before sighing heavily.</p><p>"Go get that monster, Vegeta" she whispered tenderly at him, her voice still cracking, but the intensity of her gaze wouldn't lie to him. Vegeta opened his mouth slightly, not believing that she was not only not wailing like a child and asking him to not go, but she was actually encouraging him to kill Freeza. She had faith in him, and with that thought, Vegeta smiled shyly at her, squeezing her hand back for a second before he dashed himself away, joining the others against Freeza.</p><p>Bulma watched as Vegeta disappeared from her sight, hugging herself with her arms while her heart weighed worriedly inside her chest. She knew she couldn't stop Vegeta from engaging in a battle against Freeza, even if he was at the edge of his strength. She knew Vegeta was a brave, strong man; a true warrior by heart, and that was the reason she had fallen in love with him.</p><p>"Ahem…" Krillin faked clearing his throat next to Bulma, taking her away from her admiring of Vegeta. She scrunched her nose up, preparing herself for any kind of joke the bald man would have, seeing as she had displayed a great amount of affection towards Vegeta in front of him. "So Bulma… I was thinking about something," he began hesitantly, poking her arm with his elbow. "If Vegeta changes to our side because you kissed him… I will start to call you my hero from now on."</p><p>Bulma glanced quickly at him, with her brow raised as she noticed his proud smile upon his lips. He was not mocking her, and she could tell that he truly meant that.</p><p>"Thanks, Krillin," she felt her cheeks burning slightly, as she bumped her hips onto Krillin's shoulder, hearing a little snickering from him. Gohan watched as both adults finally had come to terms with one another, smiling gladly at them. The three of them glanced back to the battle against Freeza, hoping that Vegeta could help them out.</p><p>On the battlefield, Piccolo was trying the best he could to slow down Freeza's attack; a task much harder than when he fought against his second form.</p><p>"<em>Goku! Hurry up with that!"</em> Piccolo shouted angrily to the Saiyan warrior, who was still charging the attack with his arms wide open in the air.</p><p>"It's not ready yet!" Goku grunted, frustrated, as he glanced up in the sky and saw the huge ball of energy of light shining down upon them. "I need more time!" He cried at Piccolo, who was being beaten up mercilessly by Freeza. The alien tyrant tossed the Namekian harshly to the ground, and he tumbled closer to where Goku was.</p><p>"You know! I'm getting a little tired of you scums not dying already," Freeza hissed slyly, as he started to elevate himself even higher in the sky, his right arm stretched up as he charged his most powerful attack. "I will destroy this planet, and everyone in it!" He busted out in laughter, as he continued to charge his energy wave, his glance locked on the hopeless figures of Goku and Piccolo.</p><p>However, an energy beam hit Freeza's back suddenly, distracting him for a brief moment. He glanced back, finding Vegeta, who was barely floating above him, breathing heavily with exhaustion as he had just thrown an enormous amount of his last remaining power to distract Freeza.</p><p>"Goku! <strong>NOW!</strong>" Piccolo bellowed desperately, making Freeza glance back at Goku, just in time to see him pulling his arms down in an attack. Suddenly, Freeza felt a huge heat wave coming towards his direction, he glanced up, and found a gigantic bright glare hurling over him.</p><p>Freeza tried to prevent the attack by sending a black death ball with red, electric tendrils towards the energy wave, but it was all in vain. He couldn't support the amount of energy that the Spirit Bomb had, suppressing his own attack, and coming down quickly towards him.</p><p>The Spirit Bomb finally hit its target, exploding on the ground and radiating a powerful impact wave all over the Planet. It destroyed everything in its radius, tossing everyone in sight miles away in mid-air.</p><p>Bulma was tossed in the air freely, as she cried her lungs out in fear. However, before she could hit anything, Krillin and Gohan came to her rescue. They grabbed her body roughly, stopping her from flying even further from them.</p><p>"<em>Did it work?" </em>Bulma gasped, her arms around Krillin's neck as she tried to see through the thick, dirty smoke around them. The Spirit Bomb had demolished the area completely, changing the scenery of hills and grassy fields to an open seascape. "Can you guys see them?" She asked desperately, unable to see her friends. Krillin and Gohan tried to search for any sign of life down in the wavy sea.</p><p>"<em>There!</em> I can see something!" Gohan shouted eagerly, pointing out to a small dot in the middle of a small piece of land surrounded by the green water. They immediately flew downwards, getting a better view of who that dot was.</p><p>Vegeta was standing, trying to regain his breath, glancing at the vast water in front of him. Suddenly, he saw something emerging from the surface, and a second later, Piccolo's head broke the water, gasping for air. With all his strength, the Namekian pulled himself up from the water with one arm, trying to save Goku from drowning as well.</p><p>Goku also broke from the cold surface, gasping for air, tiredly glancing around, hoping to find somewhere to hold onto. However, when his eyes gazed up, he found a hand there, ready for him to grab it.</p><p>Vegeta grabbed Goku's hand, helping Piccolo to bring him out of the water, and to the land. Both of them sighed once they reached the shore, still gasping for air.</p><p>"Thanks… buddy," Goku whispered tiredly at Vegeta, who grunted "shut up" in annoyance, making Goku snicker at him. Soon after that, the three Earthlings finally landed next to the warriors.</p><p>"Dad!" Gohan exclaimed happily, running over to his father, and wrapping his arms around his neck tightly, laughing as he was relieved that everything was over now.</p><p>"Hey… Gohan!" Goku whispered, hugging his son back, patting his black hair softly as a small, proud smile appeared on his face. "I'm so proud of you, my son."</p><p>"Vegeta!" Bulma cried out, running away from Krillin, and wrapping her arms around the Saiyan's neck as well, startling Vegeta for a moment. She sobbed quietly while hugging him tightly, making Vegeta quite nervous as he noticed that everyone was watching them.</p><p>"Bulma… that's enough!" He said coldly, taking her arms off his neck and glancing at her seriously. Bulma glanced quizzically at him, not understanding why he was pushing her away. However, the moment she saw his reddened cheeks and also that everyone was looking at them, she finally got it. Vegeta was a private man, and maybe her constant displays of public affection were too much for him.</p><p>She smiled at him, giving him some space, and grabbing his hand before squeezing it, trying to show him how happy she was. Vegeta glanced at their hands together, assuming that the Earth woman truly had a problem with keeping their business private. However, as soon as their gaze met, Vegeta couldn't hide his emotions any longer. Her big blue eyes made it clear for him how glad he was at the moment, making him smile back at her, warming her heart deeply.</p><p>Still smiling, something got Bulma's attention as she quickly glanced up. Suddenly, Vegeta saw her smile quickly disappearing from her lips as a horrified expression took its place.</p><p>"And by the way..." They all heard a sharp voice booming from behind, sending cold shivers down their spines.</p><p>"I am <em>not</em> dead," Freeza murmured icily, making everyone glance in terror at him. He was floating above them all, as droplets of water dripped down his face and body. He was visibly injured by the Spirit Bomb, since his pale skin had now several scars and bruises, and his tail was cut clean off at the end. However, he was beyond being dead, as they all first assumed he was. The cruel tyrant glared, pissed at them all, his mouth almost salivating with all hatred he was feeling.</p><p>"I AM DONE WITH YOU, <strong>FILTHY SLUG</strong>!" Freeza barked, his bloodthirsty glare at Piccolo. "AND I AM DONE WITH YOU, <strong>OVERGROWN APES</strong>! Freeza shouted, his glare going from Goku to Vegeta, not far from him. With that, the enraged tyrant raised his hand in the air, his black nail aiming at his new targets. He was done with their silly games and foreplay, now he would end their miserable excuses of lives once for all.</p><p>Vegeta didn't have time to think, because everything happened incredibly fast, even for his trained eyes.</p><p>Freeza raised his finger, throwing a deathly beam straight at Piccolo's sternum, knocking out the tall green with the excruciating pain, who dropped heavily on the ground. In the next second, Freeza glanced at Goku, and once again his black, sleek finger threw another deathly beam straight at his diaphragm, making Goku gasp for air hoarsely before dropping inert with his face in the dirt. And then, Freeza glanced at Vegeta, but his sanguine reddish eyes found something more appealing, as Freeza swept his gaze over Vegeta and Bulma's hands held together.</p><p>"<strong>NO!"</strong> Vegeta cried out, as he figured what Freeza intended. However, before Vegeta could even blink, Freeza locked his aim onto Bulma, effortlessly hurling her up in the sky.</p><p>"VEGETA!" Bulma cried out in fear and despair, as Vegeta helplessly watched her slip away from his fingers.</p><p>It was as if all sounds had been sharply silenced. His vision was blurred, almost as if he'd gone blind. He couldn't hear the explosion, nor Bulma's pleading as Freeza finished her life so cruelly in a matter of seconds.</p><p>She was gone.</p><p>"Ooops, I think I <em>exploded</em> your little toy, Vegeta," Freeza snickered devilishly, glancing at the sky, while the bloody smoke was still lingering in the thick air. Freeza glanced down to Krillin and Gohan, enjoying how devastated they seemingly were with their imminent defeat.</p><p>Gohan's eyes reddened, with hot tears streaming down his face. He couldn't believe that his father, and Piccolo were gone, and how brutally Bulma had been killed. He glanced at Krillin, who was crying as well, his shoulders were shaking while he looked up to the sky, where Bulma had vanished, gone forever.</p><p>"<em>No..." </em>He sobbed; his vision blurry by the hot tears watering his eyes. He glanced at Vegeta, who had a blank expression upon his face. Krillin watched as the brows of the Saiyan Prince twitched tensely over his dark eyes, before Vegeta collapsed onto his knees on the ground, panting heavily as his hands grabbed at his gravity-defying hair hopelessly.</p><p>Freeza tsked at the pathetic sight of what once was his best warrior. "Please, Vegeta. Don't tell me you're crying over the death of that little thing," Freeza taunted, before he tilted his head for a moment to get a better view of the Saiyan Prince; his eyes not believing in what he was seeing. "Oh, my! You are <em>actually </em>crying!" Freeza laughed heartily, enjoying seeing the mighty Vegeta so hopeless on the ground.</p><p>Vegeta felt his hot tears streaming down his face and dropping onto the dirt, as he tried to process what had just happened, however, the pain he was feeling was too much to bear. <em>"No… no… Not her!"</em> he pleaded desperately, his voice no louder than a soft whisper. His heart ached inside his chest as if someone had stabbed him several times. He almost couldn't see straight, as his heart started to beat rapidly, his anger boiling up through his veins, causing his whole body to shake involuntarily.</p><p>Vegeta groaned painfully, as the pain in his heart only increased, to the point he felt he was hallucinating. His breathing was a mixture of grunts and sobs, as his shoulders trembled uncontrollably by the thought that he had lost the only person in his entire life he truly cared for. Bulma was dead, and he had done nothing to prevent it.<em><strong>I</strong></em><em> was the one supposed to die, not </em><em><strong>her</strong></em><em>.</em></p><p>"AAAARGH!" Vegeta howled loudly and mightily, as his immense sorrow and hatred washed all throughout his heavy heart, consuming his mind from the inside out; leaving the Saiyan Prince with the impression that he was going to explode. He wanted to destroy himself, to stop the suffering all for good. What he was feeling at the moment – his pain and anger slowly fueling his power, healing his physical wounds… Was something he had <em>never</em> experienced before.</p><p>Krillin and Gohan glanced at each other, bewildered by Vegeta's suffering. They glanced around them, noticing that the sky was now darker than before, as several bolts of lightning flashed around them, and the waves in the water surrounding the little island began to crash and spray up white foam. They glanced back at Vegeta, concluding that he was the one causing the tumultuous change in the atmosphere.</p><p>Freeza was startled as well, as he saw that Vegeta was changing size, becoming stronger and bulkier; his body radiating a bright, and powerful golden energy halo. Vegeta kept howling in pain, as his strength was increasing immensely. He clenched the palms of his hands, standing up from the ground, and glancing at the sky, as his hair changed to a golden shade of blonde, and his eyes turned into an icy shade of cerulean blue.</p><p>"What… what happened to your hair?" Freeza asked incredulously, backing away from the terrifying new form of Vegeta. "What happened to your eyes?!"</p><p>Vegeta glared coldly at Freeza, as the pain in his heart finally ceased, and evolved into a pure, unadulterated rage. He ignored completely the astonished looks from both Krillin and Gohan, as his mind was focused on one, simple task. He would make Freeza pay for everything he had done. He now had the necessary power to do it.</p><p>Vegeta, the Prince of all Saiyans, had finally become the legendary Super Saiyan.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>A/N: Okay. I know you guys hate cliffhangers, and I just left a major one here (please don't hate me). But, I always envisioned this chapter ending just like that, while playing at the back "Take On Me", by A-ha, at the Live From MTV Unplugged (the more slow, romantic version). Is this music a little odd for the moment? Probably! XD Thanks so much for everyone that reviewed, followed, favorited, left Kudos and read the fic!</strong>
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  <strong>This chapter was beta'd by the amazing and lovely RoyalBlueRoses!</strong>
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  <strong>Reviews are always welcome and much appreciated! Thank you so much in advance to anyone who takes the time to write one!</strong>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11 – The Legendary Super Saiyan</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em><strong>Author:</strong></em> Becky L. Sly<br/><em><strong>Title: </strong></em>What If: Namek<br/><em><strong>Genre: </strong></em>Romance/Adventure<br/><em><strong>Rating: </strong></em>T (there will be cuss words, violence and some non-explicit sexual situations that may not be appropriate for all readers)</p><p>
  <em> <strong>I just own the plot. All characters belong to Funimation, Toei Animation, and Akira Toriyama.</strong> </em>
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  <strong>Chapter 11 – The Legendary Super Saiyan</strong>
</p><p>The sky remained cast in darkness, stray bolts of lightning flashing over the torn seascape, as the cold ocean waves crashed against the rocky shores, and sprayed white foam up into the air. The air was thick, as the smell of smoke still lingered, making it almost possible to feel the electricity flowing through the atmosphere. Krillin felt goosebumps forming all over his arms, and the back of his neck as the bald fighter watched the ensuing battle with owlish eyes. Vegeta carefully rose from the ground, his gaze locked onto Freeza, his golden halo shining brightly in contrast to Namek's tumultuous environment.</p><p>Freeza curled his purplish lips in a snarl and his brows drew low, while his cut tail twitched nervously behind him; his glare full of his disgust deepening as he realized the depth of Vegeta's massive energy welling up from within him, making the evil tyrant grunt hatefully.</p><p>"<em>Answer me, Vegeta!"</em> Freeza sneered through his teeth, his voice echoing throughout the fields, while his reddish eyes were locked on the new form of Vegeta. "What's <em>this</em> all about!"</p><p>Vegeta smirked at his enemy while clenching his fists aside his body, adapting to his new power level. "Isn't it <em>obvious</em>, Freeza?" The Saiyan Prince taunted, his own eyes scanning his newfound appearance. "You've always seemed to be a cultured man. Don't tell now that you don't know <em>what</em> I've transformed myself into."</p><p>Freeza grunted at the Saiyan Prince, his teeth clenching bitterly inside his mouth. "No! <em>That can't be true!</em> I'm the <strong>strongest</strong> in the universe!"</p><p>Vegeta narrowed his gaze at the pale tyrant, his rage and hatred still boiling through his veins. "You feared the Saiyan race, afraid that someday, one of us could be born as the legendary Super Saiyan." Vegeta murmured, his serious voice grave as he began to seize the distance between himself and Freeza, still floating in mid-air.</p><p>"You're so afraid that you've killed us all. An effort, that in the end didn't amount to anything, right?" The Saiyan Prince hissed, a smirk appearing on his lips, while he quoted Freeza himself, eliciting a disgusted groan from the tyrant.</p><p>"You've created what <strong>you</strong> feared the most, Freeza."</p><p>"<strong>NO!</strong>" Freeza snapped, his voice starting to crack with desperation. "You're nothing, Vegeta! Nothing other than an overgrown, pathetic monkey! <em>You'll die today!</em>"</p><p>Vegeta chuckled bitterly at his enemy, his body now only a few inches away from Freeza's reach. "No, Freeza. You're the one that will die today. <em>You will die by a </em><em><strong>Saiyan's</strong></em><em> hand</em>."</p><p>Vegeta started to power up, bellowing in agonizing howls as his golden halo only seemed to increase around his bulkier body. His muscles were getting bigger and bigger before Freeza's bare eyes, while Vegeta's ominous howls resounded throughout Namek. In the blink of an eye, Vegeta blasted himself over Freeza, his right leg placing a powerful kick right under Freeza's jaw, sending the evil tyrant meters away, straight into a rocky plateau.</p><p>Vegeta once again dashed across the sky, hovering over Freeza's body and raining down at his direction a barrage of consecutive energy waves, which made a deep crater in the ground, deepening the tyrant's body even further down.</p><p>However, Freeza managed to escape from the deep grave Vegeta was burying him in. He pushed off the dirt and barreled back into the sky, trying to evade Vegeta, who was hovering over him. Freeza panted heavily, an exasperated grimace on his face, yet seemingly not surprised by the Saiyan's new powers.</p><p>Freeza snickered at the Saiyan, his sardonic glance glued to his obsidian eyes. "I see you've got a little power boost, Vegeta," he laughed wryly. "But it doesn't matter how strong you might become Vegeta. I've destroyed you already."</p><p>Vegeta huffed at the pale alien, crossing his bulky arms against his chest. "Is desperation making you talk nonsense, Freeza?" Vegeta smirked, eliciting more snickering from Freeza.</p><p>"Everything you've ever achieved, Vegeta, was because of <em>me</em>." Freeza hissed, making Vegeta furrow his eyebrows at his comment, as his condescending words intrigued him for just a moment.</p><p>"I destroyed Planet Vegeta, but I let you stay <em>alive</em>. I've provided you with equipment, training, and supplies your whole life while you were getting stronger and stronger throughout the years, only because <em>I let</em> you do it."</p><p>Vegeta curled his mouth in a snarl, glaring spitefully at the alien smiling cruelly back at him.</p><p>"I even let you become this so-called Super Saiyan monkey, only because I killed that little vermin. <em>I've </em><em><strong>created</strong></em><em> you Vegeta!</em>" Freeza laughed heartily, as his poisonous words weighed heavily in the Saiyan's mind in front of him.</p><p>"I took everything that mattered to you until you've become this <em>broken shell</em>. <strong>You'll die alone Vegeta!</strong> You're nothing <em>without</em> me!"</p><p>Vegeta spat on the ground, he could feel his pulse throbbing hard in his throat, his whole body fueled by the mind-consuming rage that he was sensing coming over him. "That's where you are wrong, Freeza."</p><p>Freeza widened his eyes at the Saiyan; a tremor going throughout his entire body, anticipating to be hit by the energetic, pulsing energy that Vegeta was emanating throughout the golden halo radiating around his bulked up body.</p><p>"You may have destroyed my planet and my people. Let me live as a mere servant under your boot," he hissed out angrily, while the evil tyrant smiled proudly at his words.</p><p>"You may have killed everyone that I cared for and left me alone, the only Saiyan left in the universe. But there's <strong>one</strong> thing you'll never take from me."</p><p>Then, Vegeta smirked cockily at Freeza; making the cruel smile fade away from his purplish lips.</p><p>"<strong>My pride as a Saiyan!</strong>" Vegeta shouted in a fuel-raged howl, while he powered up his strength even more; his strength radiating out in powerful waves from his body. "I will make you pay for <em>everything</em> you've done to me!"</p><p>Vegeta phased himself towards Freeza, viciously grabbing the legs and arms of the pale alien, and trying to push him down, attempting to break his spine in the middle. Freeza howled out in pain and in a quick move, he was able to free himself from Vegeta's grasp.</p><p>The tyrant aimed his next attacks at Vegeta, throwing a multitude of death beams in his direction, which Vegeta was able to effortlessly dodge, every single one of them.</p><p>From outside of the battlefield, Krillin and Gohan watched as Vegeta blasted at full speed towards Freeza, charging at the evil tyrant with a massive purple energy wave. They both were slack-jawed by the battle being performed before their very eyes. Krillin couldn't believe the amount of power he was sensing coming from Vegeta; and deep inside his heart, he knew that it was only brought to the surface because Vegeta had witnessed Bulma's death.</p><p>The bald warrior swallowed hard as he looked over the ground and found the bodies of Goku and Piccolo still laying inert. He had lost his oldest friends that day, and he almost couldn't believe that he wasn't among the dead too.</p><p>"Gohan," Krillin's voice was a mere whisper, yet captured the attention of the young warrior that had his eyes glued to the battle in the sky. "We need to get Goku and Piccolo out of here. We need to find the ship that Goku came from, and try our best to go back to Earth."</p><p>Gohan looked quizzically at his friends, his brow furrowed, while he tried to understand Krillin's thinking. "But… what about Vegeta…"</p><p>"That's nothing we could do here to help Vegeta," Krillin interjected quickly, glancing at the sky just in time to see Vegeta throwing a powerful punch into Freeza's stomach. "This is <em>his</em> battle. The best thing we can do to help, is find a way to prevent Piccolo's death, so that we can still use the Dragon Balls on Earth."</p><p>Gohan's mouth hung open for a moment before he nodded steadily at his friend. They took the opportunity, now that neither Freeza nor Vegeta was paying them any attention to get over the bodies of Goku and Piccolo. When Krillin reached for his friend's body, he felt that Goku's energy was slipping away from his body at an alarming pace.</p><p>"Quickly, Gohan! Goku's still alive, but he's losing his energy much too quickly!" Gohan widened his eyes at the remark; his heart tightening painfully inside his chest. He ran over Mr. Piccolo's inert body, and put himself under his left shoulder, trying to find the right balance before taking off the ground, following Krillin in the sky, moving as far as they could, away from the fighting.</p><p>Gohan could also sense Piccolo's energy, and although his ki was low, at least it was stable. A small feeling of relief rushed through his heart, but it was quickly gone as soon as he heard Krillin's murmuring.</p><p>"<em>C'mon Goku. You can't die like this,"</em> the bald man murmured under his breath while carrying Goku over his back, unaware that Gohan could listen to his words. The poor child began to feel hot tears blurring his vision, as the unsettling thought of losing his father once again surfaced.</p><p>If his father died this time, they wouldn't be able to wish him back. Gohan felt a knot forming inside his throat, and he tried to muffle his silent sobs the best he could. He knew that he needed to be strong and brave; that was what his father would have said to him.</p><p>"Gohan, look!" Krillin's optimistic voice took the young warrior away from his worries. He glanced at the direction his friend was pointing to, being able to finally see the spaceship that Goku had used to come to Namek.</p><p>Both of them flew down towards the ship, getting inside and placing Piccolo and Goku's body carefully over the cold floor. Gohan took a step back, getting a better view of them.</p><p>"Krillin… how are we gonna help them?"</p><p>The bald warrior felt a bitter taste in his mouth. They didn't have any Senzu Beans that they could give to them, neither did Dende as well, who could use his healing powers to help them up. The bald warrior had never felt so helpless in his life, coming to the alarming realization that there was nothing they could do to stop this nightmare.</p><p>Krillin felt his tears streaming down his cheeks, as he sat on the ground next to Goku, holding one of his friend's large, cold hands tightly in his own.</p><p>"Goku… please, you need to stay alive," he said under his breath, trying to ignore Gohan's sobs behind him. "You can't give up! How are we gonna do this without you?"</p><p>Goku's heartbeat was becoming slower each passing second. Krillin held his breath for a second, as his mind suddenly feared for the worse. And then, just a second later, there was no more heartbeat coming from the orange dressed warrior.</p><p>"He's … he's … <em>gone</em>," Krillin whispered breathlessly, his tears still hot in his eyes. Gohan fell onto his knees; his ears not believing in what he was hearing. However, before Gohan could protest about anything else, what happened next took him completely by surprise. Goku's body had vanished right in front of his eyes. His father had left him for good.</p><p>"<em>What?! What happened?" </em>He cried in a despairing voice, glancing at Krillin, who looked back at him with saddened eyes.</p><p>"I think he's gone, Gohan…" Krillin stated awkwardly, and Gohan glanced angrily at him.</p><p>"I can <strong>see </strong>that!" The boy cried back bitterly; his eyes filled with tears. Krillin quickly shook his head, reaching for Gohan to try to calm his nerves down.</p><p>"No, Gohan. It's a good thing!" Krillin said, and Gohan narrowed his eyes at him. "Goku has gone to the Other World! With King Kai, as he did before!"</p><p>Gohan blinked a few times; trying to understand what his bald friend was talking about.</p><hr/><p>"<em>That idiot, that brainless war-monger!"</em> King Kai hissed angrily while stomping his foot on the ground several times.<em> "I told him not to face Freeza! And look at what happened!</em></p><p>Tien and Chiaotzu glanced at each other for a moment, trying to understand what their chubby, blue master was talking about. However, before they could ask him anything, King Kai's next words took them completely off guard.</p><p>"Goku… is dead."</p><p>Tien rounded all three eyes at that; not believing the news that was being delivered. "What… how could Goku die?" He asked under his breath.</p><p>"Vegeta is still fighting against Freeza. He has achieved his Super Saiyan form, and now he will fight with his life to end Freeza once and for all." King Kai antennas fell sorrowfully over his face. His star pupil had been defeated in battle, only because he had underestimated his opponent.</p><p>The Kai master had observed the events of Namek in their entirety, since Bulma, Krillin and Gohan had arrived on the alien planet. He couldn't believe what he was witnessing, and he wondered internally if somehow the events could have been different.</p><p>He quickly glanced to his side, finding the figure of Yamcha far away from them, sitting under a tree with a distressed look upon his face. King Kai sighed heavily, knowing all too well why the warrior was suffering.</p><p>Yamcha breathed heavily, his heart still aching with the idea that his girl, Bulma, had died. Well, that was not the <em>only</em> thing he was processing inside his mind. The past few days, King Kai had narrated the events on Namek as if he was some kind of soap opera narrator. And, the worst part was that King Kai seemed pretty interested in Bulma and Vegeta's relationship.</p><p>Yamcha snorted bitterly, his jealousy souring his mood. He couldn't believe that King Kai had told him that Bulma had fallen in love with Vegeta, or that he had fallen in love with her as well. Yamcha needed to see it with his own eyes to believe it, much to his regret. He watched as Bulma cried sorrowfully next to Vegeta's dying body, telling him that she needed him, while Vegeta said something similar to her.</p><p>Yamcha hated Vegeta with his whole heart. Not only was he responsible for his death, but he also had managed to steal his girl from him!</p><p>However, everything changed when Bulma died. Yamcha witnessed Vegeta crying over her death, and how that made him transform into his Super Saiyan form. It was clear to the former bandit that Vegeta's feelings for Bulma led him to a whole new level of power. It gave the former bandit mixed feelings towards the Saiyan Prince. Although Yamcha still hated the arrogant warrior, he couldn't lie about the feelings of sympathy he had, that could attribute to Vegeta and his loss.</p><p>However, Yamcha quickly was brought back to reality, as someone started to appear from thin air, materializing onto King Kai's planet. He rose from the ground, his eyes carefully catching the figure of Goku slowly appearing before his eyes.</p><p>"GOKU!" Yamcha, Tien, and Chiaotzu yelled in unison. The orange dressed warrior glanced at them, smiling apologetically to them as he scratched the back of his head.</p><p>However, before any of them could greet the newcomer, they all heard a loud, hysterical yell intensifying from the distance, and in the next second, King Kai came running at Goku, his fists already closed.</p><p>"<em>Goku, you idiot!"</em> King Kai yelled angrily, punching Goku several times in the stomach, as the old Kai tried to relieve his inner anger towards the Saiyan. "How could you die like that! I told you to stay away from Freeza, you dumbass!"</p><p>"C'mon King Kai," Goku murmured, holding his master's tiny hands, eliciting a sharp, annoyed huff from the blue master. "I admit that I dropped my guard for a second, but I'm sure that I can take him down <strong>this</strong> time!"</p><p>The Kai furrowed his eyebrows, annoyed at his pupil's words. "And <em>how</em> do you intend to do it, Goku?"</p><p>"Hmm," Goku whispered while scratching his chin, ignoring the twitching eyebrow from his annoyed master.</p><p>"<em>You're dead now, Goku!</em> You, Piccolo, and Bulma. <em>Everyone </em><em><strong>died</strong></em><em> down there!</em>"</p><p>Goku widened his eyes at this new information. "<em>What?!</em> Piccolo and Bulma died?" He asked for confirmation, making his master lower his head respectfully.</p><p>"I'm afraid so."</p><p>"But… who's down there? Who's fighting against Freeza?"</p><p>King Kai raised his antennas for a moment, before making a buzzing sound and getting once again a proper view of the battle between Freeza and Vegeta. Goku walked closer to the Kai master, putting his hand over his master's left shoulder, immediately seeing with his own eyes the display of power from the battle reverberating on Namek.</p><p>"Woah! That's <em>Vegeta</em> down there?" Goku asked in awe. "How did he achieve that kind of power?"</p><p>"It was after Freeza killed your friend, Bulma," the Kai said seriously, while Goku listened to his lecture mindfully; trying to understand how it was possible to acquire such a high power, himself.</p><p>"The anger that Vegeta felt from his loss over Bulma was too much for him to bear. He achieved this powerful transformation when his anger and sorrow fueled his power, and transformed him from the inside out."</p><p>"Vegeta… you dog!" Goku shouted proudly at the image of his Saiyan comrade, while he observed him giving Freeza a hard time. "You <em>finally</em> did it! You have become the Super Saiyan you always talked about!"</p><p>King Kai nodded at Goku's words, confirming his suspicions.</p><p>"Oh, man. I wish I could be there to see it better," Goku muttered absently, getting a bitter grunt from the Kai.</p><p>"I don't think it will be possible, Goku." He said cheerlessly. "You don't have a set of Dragon Balls. You'll be here now, <em>forever</em>."</p><p>However, before Goku could say anything, another voice boomed inside King Kai's mind.</p><p>"<em>Why are you always so pessimistic, King Kai?"</em></p><p>The old Kai widened his eyes, startled, as he quickly recognized the voice. "<em>Kami?!</em>"</p><p>The voice snickered joyfully inside his mind. "If you are not dead… it means that Piccolo is <em>not</em> dead as well!"</p><p>"Hey! We could still use Earth's Dragon Balls, King Kai!" Goku gushed excitedly, and beamed at the news. King Kai nodded happily at him, agreeing with his words.</p><p>"Kami, listen to me," the old Kai said, his mind already plotting his next move. "You'll need to gather all seven Dragon Balls on Earth.</p><hr/><p>Freeza was slowly losing his patience. He was giving it everything he had, but Vegeta barely seemed even affected by his most powerful attacks. The evil tyrant grunted bitterly, while raising his pale arms up into the sky, and hurling enormous energy waves at the stubborn Saiyan Prince several times, until the whole atmosphere around him became smoky.</p><p>Freeza breathed heavily, glancing at the seascape beneath him, where Vegeta had disappeared during his lethal attacks. He narrowed his reddish eyes, trying to see properly through the fog. He clenched his teeth at the sight of an unharmed Saiyan floating beneath him.</p><p>Vegeta smirked teasingly. "What's wrong, Freeza? Can't touch me anymore?"</p><p>"<strong>Shut up!</strong>" Freeza yelled heatedly, eliciting a burst of cold laughter from the Saiyan Prince.</p><p>Freeza aimed his black, sleek nail at Vegeta, throwing a powerful death beam towards him. However, with a single move, Vegeta dodged the attack effortlessly. The evil tyrant widened his eyes at that, and his teeth rattled inside his mouth with the rage boiling in his blood. He aimed at Vegeta once again, throwing a rain of death beams at him at once. None of them hit the target, as Freeza intended.</p><p>"Why don't you get struck?!" Freeza accused in a sanguine scream, receiving only more mocking laughter from his opponent.</p><p>"You are not dealing with an average Saiyan warrior anymore, Freeza," Vegeta taunted with a wide smirk upon his lips, his cold gaze locked on Freeza's.</p><p>"How many times do I have you tell you this? You can't defeat me."</p><p>The pale tyrant screeched, livid at his words; his humiliation boiling through his veins, and souring his mood. He couldn't believe that he had let this happen. The warrior in front of him has spent his years believing, and placing his hopes on that pathetic legend of the Super Saiyan - which Freeza deeply believed was the only viable reason Vegeta stayed alive; hoping.</p><p>However, he had never imagined that he would become that very thing someday.</p><p>He should have destroyed that arrogant monkey when he had his chance! Now, he was being obligated to tolerate this insufferable mockery.</p><p>"What? Do you think that you are <em>better</em> than me, Vegeta?!" Freeza hissed, spitting on the ground as his words came out his mouth. "Just because you are this '<em>super</em> Saiyan'?"</p><p>Vegeta smiled toothily at him. "I've always been better than you, Freeza. It's just more evident now."</p><p>Freeza curled his mouth in a snarl. "<em>You are not!</em>" He howled, pissed, his eyes were redder than ever, as the veins on his forehead were throbbing from irritation.</p><p>"I <em>own</em> you, Vegeta! <em>I owned your planet!</em> <strong>I own the entire universe!</strong>"</p><p>Freeza hurled himself even higher in the green sky, raising his hands up and creating a massive, dark red energy ball with electric tendrils. The heat emanating from the evil energy attack was enough to heat up the entire planet itself.</p><p>"AND I DECIDE WHO GETS TO LIVE, AND WHO GETS TO <strong>DIE</strong>!"</p><p>With that being said, Freeza hurled the immense dark energy wave towards the ground, its power piercing through the surface of the planet, aimed at its nucleus. The tremendous attack shook the whole planet of Namek, as vast craters were opened throughout the entire surface of the green globe. Vegeta didn't have time to prevent Freeza's desperate attack, as he only watched with wide eyes, as the tyrant attempted to destroy planet Namek once, and for all.</p><hr/><p>"<em>Oh, my! Dear me!"</em> King Kai murmured under his breath, his voice cracking as his eyes did not believe in what he was witnessing.</p><p>"This is bad! This is bad!" Freeza had destroyed Planet Namek, and now, their only chance to make their wish come true had perished on, forever."</p><p>"What happened, King Kai?" Yamcha came quickly towards the Kai master, his puffed eyes heavy with worry.</p><p>"Vegeta was doing well. <em>Extremely well!</em> But Freeza is a sore loser." King Kai began, his heart beating rapidly inside his chest. "He couldn't stand the fact that Vegeta was having the upper hand, and he destroyed Namek."</p><p>Yamcha widened his eyes at the remark. "Wait… does that mean that everyone is dead?"</p><p>Standing next to King Kai, Goku clenched his fist aside his body, as the realization hit him hard when he listened to his master's words. "Piccolo… Krillin… Gohan. They are all gone," he murmured, his voice low, full of resentment.</p><p>"No… that <em>can't </em>be true!" Tien shouted, crestfallen, as Chiaotzu floated behind him, his little black eyes beaming sorrowfully. Everyone glanced down at their feet, not being able to understand how everything had ended, just like that.</p><p>Goku grunted angrily, turning his back to King Kai and everyone else, and heading over the grassy field in front of Kai's house. His mind was clouded, and his heart was heavy inside his chest.</p><p><em>It was all his fault, </em>he grunted to himself. He had underestimated Freeza's power and now, because of his failure, everyone was dead.</p><p>The Saiyan undressed, removing his weighted clothing, and tossing them on the ground, ignoring the astonished looks from the others. He needed to train harder than he ever did, and he needed to start it <em>now</em>. Being able to see what Vegeta became, inspired him to do the same. If Vegeta had achieved his Super Saiyan status by the anger he was feeling towards Freeza, Goku would do the same thing.</p><p>He would find a way to get revenge on his friends and family. No matter how long it would take. He would become a Super Saiyan himself.</p><p>King Kai sighed heavily, diverting his eyes from the Saiyan doing push-ups. He knew that Goku was heartbroken, and that he was probably blaming himself for what had happened to Namek.</p><p>"Oh, my. If there's anything we could do to save this whole situation," the old Kai murmured to himself, downcast. However, his sorrows were suddenly cut off by a familiar, warm voice booming inside his mind.</p><p>"<em>King Kai… do you hear me?"</em> Kami's voice echoed through his mind, making the old master stumble on his own feet, surprised at the unexpected voice.</p><p>"<strong>Kami?!</strong> Is that you?!"</p><p>Everyone glanced at King Kai from where they were, even Goku who stood in the middle of a push-up, his eyes wider than ever.</p><p>"<em>Y-yes…" </em>Kami said, his voice unsure of the question.</p><p>"Are you alive, Kami?!"</p><p>"<em>Yes, King Kai. I do have a little indigestion, but I don't think it's anything serious."</em></p><p>"Hey! Kami is alive!" the old Kai cried cheerfully, his voice reaching the warriors behind him, who all came closer to where he was, so they could hear him as well.</p><p>"If Kami's alive, then Piccolo is alive as well! And so is Gohan and Krillin! And Vegeta!" Goku chanted happily, his eyes beaming with excitement, knowing that the battle wasn't finished just yet. There was still hope for them.</p><p>"<em>King Kai, I came here to inform you about the Dragon Balls," </em>Kami said seriously, not quite understanding what the whole commotion was about.<em> "Mr. Popo had gathered all seven Dragon Balls. He has already summoned Shenlong."</em></p><p>"<em>The Dragon is waiting for the wish, as we speak."</em></p><p>"<em>Excellent!</em>" The old Kai jumped excitedly, as his plan was finally coming together. "Kami, listen to my words carefully! I want you to wish that <em>everyone that was killed by Freeza, or his men, to be brought back to life!</em>"</p><p>Goku blinked a few times as the words came out of his master's mouth, before a huge grin was spread upon his lips. "That's a genius wish, King Kai!"</p><p>King Kai glanced at Goku for a moment, his brows furrowed heavily. "I'm afraid Goku, that this won't apply to yourself. Shenlong can only bring back a person that has never died before."</p><p>However, Goku's smile didn't disappear from his face. "I know that," he said seriously, while his proud smile was still upon his lips. King Kai's mouth hung open for a moment before Kami's announcement boomed once again inside his mind."</p><p>"<em>King Kai. The Eternal Dragon has granted your wish."</em></p><hr/><p>Bulma felt the wind swaying her hair as she dreamed about flying in the sky. Her eyes were still closed, and she could feel the chilly air passing over her cheeks, making her shiver slightly with the sensation. Suddenly, the sensation of flying quickly made her stomach turn, as she felt that she was actually <em>falling</em> down. She lazily opened her eyes, just in time to see a dark green lake coming closer to her. She gasped desperately, before hitting the cold surface of the water.</p><p>She felt her oxygen pouring out of her lungs as her lethargic body sunk further down, to the bottom of the lake. She cried out in pain as she tried to swim up frantically, trying to break the surface of the water.</p><p>She coughed hoarsely as soon as she achieved the reaching of the atmosphere, her lungs hurting from the scary experience she just had.</p><p>She glanced around herself a few times, her heart pounding inside her chest as she panted heavily, still in the water. "What…" she asked herself under her heavy breathing, trying to understand what had just happened.</p><p>She only remembered being hurled into the sky by Freeza, and other than that, her memories were very faint. She recalled vaguely being stuck in a huge line, along with other people. She remembered someone screaming into a loudspeaker, saying something along the lines of "if you are caught breaking the file, you will be sent straight to hell".</p><p>Finally, she understood what had happened. She had been summoned back to life! The Dragon had brought her back to life in the same spot where she had died before, right in mid-air!</p><p>Bulma quivered squeamishly, her mind replaying the horrible events that had led her to her death. She glanced around once more, trying to find a place she could swim up to, and get out of the water.</p><p>The planet was not the same as she remembered. The whole atmosphere was darker than before, and several lightning bolts cracked across the dark green sky. Something seemed very wrong, but Bulma couldn't quite understand what exactly.</p><p>She finally reached a rocky shore, and quickly pulled her body out of the water, feeling immediately the difference in temperature. She hugged herself with her quivering arms, trying to warm her cold body, her big blue eyes glancing along the horizon, trying to search for anyone familiar.</p><p>"Guys… where are you?" She murmured weakly, not being able to see very clear though to the darkness around herself. Her heart ached inside her chest, as she felt lonelier than ever. If she had returned, it could only mean that someone had wished her back, but who? And most importantly, where was everyone?</p><p>Suddenly, she saw something flying above her head. She narrowed her eyes, trying to see better who it was. Her eyes beamed with her excitement as soon as she recognized the small figure of Dende.</p><p>"<em>Hey!"</em> Bulma shouted loudly, jumping frantically in the air, and waving her arms, trying to get the little Namekian's attention. <em>"Down here! It's me! Bulma!"</em></p><p>Luckily, Dende was able to hear her screams, as he glanced down and widened his eyes at the sight of her. He smiled at her fondly, before going down to meet her.</p><p>"Bulma, is it really you?" Dende murmured happily, his eyes shining as he ran over her. Bulma quickly ran to him, hugging the little alien, much to his surprise.</p><p>"Oh, Dende! I'm so happy to see you!" She said, while still hugging the green skinned boy. "Do you know what's going on?"</p><p>"Everyone's been brought back to life!" Dende exclaimed, both happy and surprised, as his chubby finger pointed to something behind Bulma. She glanced over her shoulder, only then seeing the glowing silhouette flying in the sky from a distance. "It's Porunga! It means that Guru is alive as well!"</p><p>Bulma glanced back at Dende, biting her lower lip for a moment. If the Dragon was still in the air, that meant they still have a wish to make.</p><p>"Dende, do you think you can carry us over the Eternal Dragon?" Bulma asked hesitantly, and Dende swallowed hard, before nodding his head steadily.</p><p>"I-I think I can try," he murmured, glancing at Bulma's body, which was much larger than his little one. He gulped once more before hovering over her body, trying to pull her from the ground by her shoulders.</p><p>Dende could feel his sweat streaming down his temples. He had just learned how to fly only a few weeks ago, and now he was having to carry someone much taller, and larger than him.</p><p>"<em>Dende, look out!" </em>Bulma cried out loud while trying to grab onto Dende's clothing so she could find purchase. <em>"You're gonna drop me into the water!"</em></p><p>"I'm … trying… You're … heavy…" The poor child puffed heavily, his shoulders trembling due to the immense effort. Bulma protested with a sharp whine, taking offense.</p><p>"That's not very nice, you shouldn't call a lady <em>fat</em>!" She hissed, annoyed, ignoring the little grunts of exhaustion coming from the Namekian. Not long after that, they finally managed to reach the Eternal dragon, the mighty Porunga.</p><p>Dende quickly brought Bulma and himself onto the ground, while he gasped for breath, placing his hands on his knees for support. Bulma ran over to the Dragon, taking a moment to admire his imposing figure. It doesn't matter how many times she had summoned the Eternal Dragon before, she always would be rendered speechless by the mightiness of the creature hovering above her.</p><p>Porunga took notice of her presence. His grave voice resounded mightily, as he said something in Namekian that Bulma couldn't understand.</p><p>"What did he say?" Bulma asked, her blue eyes owlishly staring at the immense figure floating in the sky. He was bigger than Shenlong, and much bulkier than Bulma could recall as well.</p><p>"He's said he's still waiting for the last wish!" Dende said, running over Bulma.</p><p>"What should we wish for?" Bulma murmured ponderously, her mind racing with all sorts of thoughts. She couldn't see any of her friends near her, and she wondered which of them was still alive. She had witnessed Goku and Piccolo getting hurt before her, and she asked herself if they had suffered the same end as she did.</p><p>She couldn't see Freeza either, so she didn't know who had won the battle against that terrible, pale fleshed, lilac monster.</p><p>However, something else caught her attention, making her diverge completely away from her prior thoughts. She glanced back at Dende, just in time to see him opening his mouth for a moment, before shutting it completely. His eyes widened suddenly, startling Bulma.</p><p>"Dende? What happened?" She asked him, then Dende responded to her after a few seconds of total silence, as he also was trying to understand what was going on.</p><p>"It's Guru… he's talking with me," the little kid said, before closing his eyes to hear the words booming inside his mind.</p><p>"<em>Dende… you must listen to what I'm about to tell you,"</em> the old Namekian said, his voice warm and benevolent inside the child's mind.</p><p>"<em>You must wish for the Dragon to take everyone away from Namek, and send them to Earth, with exception of Freeza."</em></p><p>The little kid nodded at Guru's command inside his mind. However, before Dende could even open his eyes, he heard another voice yelling inside his head.</p><p>"<em>No! If Freeza is left behind, he will find a way to find them on Earth as well." </em>Goku's voice boomed too inside Dende's mind.<em> "He must be destroyed first. Vegeta should be the one to end his life."</em></p><p>"<em>But, if Vegeta stays on Namek, he will die as well, Goku!" </em>King Kai's voice resonated loudly inside Dende's head, as his worries were evident in his voice. The little Namekian was starting to feel uncomfortable, his head hurting due to all the voices speaking at once.</p><p>"<em>That's the </em><em><strong>only</strong></em><em> way!"</em> Goku insisted.</p><p>With that, the little Namekian felt an odd sensation washing over his heart, as the thought of leaving the Saiyan behind to die alone on Namek didn't seem right to his young heart.</p><p>"<em>Goku, King Kai, Master Guru, please, </em><em><strong>listen to me!</strong></em><em>" </em>Dende pledged, ignoring Bulma's glare as she heard the names he was saying.</p><p>"I don't want to be disrespectful, but… He's not a bad person entirely! I-I felt it, while I was healing him! <em>There's good inside his heart!</em>" Bulma furrowed her eyebrows, trying to understand <em>who</em> Dende was trying to defend.</p><p>"He… <em>doesn't </em>deserve to be left here!" Dende pleaded, his chubby fingers trembling aside his body, feeling a little ashamed from countering the elders so boldly. He heard Guru sighing heavily before he once again directed his benevolent words to him.</p><p>"<em>Dende, my precious young boy,"</em> Guru's voice was the first to break the silence. <em>"Your heart is kind, and you are right about the Saiyan. However, he's ready to give his life to defeat Freeza. He must accomplish that himself. That's his destiny."</em></p><p>Dende glanced owlishly at the dark sky, as Guru's words reached his mind.</p><p>"<em>Master Guru is right, Dende,"</em> Goku's voice sounded warmly inside his mind. <em>"Vegeta, he is a proud Saiyan that would never leave a fight. This is his chance to redeem himself from the mistakes he had made. We must give him this chance."</em></p><p>Dende swallowed hard, as he felt his heart weighing inside his chest. He glanced over Bulma for a moment, noticing that she was eager to know what he was talking about. He nodded obediently, getting ready to wish what he had been told to.</p><hr/><p>Vegeta glanced at the ground, noticing a large crater was breaking through the earth, traveling all the way across Namek. The explosion Freeza created was not enough to destroy the planet, at least not immediately. However, Vegeta knew better, his action was enough to alter the planet's axis, which would lead to its imminent final explosion at any moment.</p><p>"Did you lose your touch, Freeza? What? Can't you perform under pressure?" Vegeta taunted wryly at the evil tyrant, who also glanced down, surprised at the crater underneath him, noticing how lava was slowly coming to the surface of the planet.</p><p>"Don't be stupid, Vegeta!" Freeza hissed bitterly, as Vegeta laughed. "I surely hit the core! This planet is doomed to explode. And you'll perish on it!"</p><p>"It didn't seem that impressive from here," the Saiyan grinned, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "What? Are you feeling a little nervous about dealing with a Super Saiyan?"</p><p>"<em>Do go on, Vegeta! Live boldly while you can!"</em> Freeza taunted, his teeth clenched harshly as he hissed through them. "I would say that you only have five more minutes alive!"</p><p>Vegeta hummed at Freeza, his smirk still upon his lips. "So, I just have to kill you in <strong>four</strong>."</p><p>Freeza grunted bitterly, clenching his fist aside his body, while he was preparing himself to power up.</p><p>"You have fooled yourself, Vegeta!" Freeza taunted while he focused his energy on concentrating his own strength, prepared to reach 100% of his full potential. "You haven't seen me at full strength, yet! You won't be able to stop me!"</p><p>"Reach your maximum strength all you want, Freeza," Vegeta jeered, as he waited for his opponent to achieve his full capacity; the challenge excited him. "When I beat you, it will be much more humiliating for you."</p><p>Freeza smirked cockily. He started to howl loudly, his entire body powering up, his muscles became bigger and bulkier, his body sizing up slightly.</p><p>Vegeta observed this quietly as he was able to sense Freeza's power level increasing. The Saiyan Prince smiled confidently, at least, as he concluded that even at 100%, Freeza wasn't a real threat to him.</p><p>Already at 100%, the evil tyrant dashed himself at Vegeta, his speed faster than before, and his punches were clearly more accurate, as he was able to hit Vegeta under his jaw. The pale alien threw several kicks and punches at the Saiyan Prince, becoming invigorated with the idea of being able to finally beat the pulp out of Vegeta.</p><p>However, to Freeza's surprise, Vegeta threw a powerful punch into his stomach out of nowhere, sending the evil tyrant flying meters away from him. The Saiyan warrior was preparing himself to attack the tyrant once more when, suddenly, a glow caught Vegeta's attention.</p><p>He glanced to his left, able to see the Eternal Dragon floating in the middle of the dark sky. He widened his eyes and gasped surprise at that, not understanding how it was possible.</p><p>However, Freeza caught Vegeta's sudden change of attention and glanced in the same direction as he did; his eyes not believing in what he was seeing, either. Vegeta noticed that this made Freeza excited, and was dreading to even think about what Freeza intended to do next.</p><p>In the blink of an eye, Freeza dashed himself towards the Eternal Dragon, being followed by Vegeta, who grunted angrily to himself.</p><p><em>That's my chance,</em> Vegeta thought, as he felt his heart pounding inside his chest, the adrenaline rushing through his veins. He couldn't let Freeza use his wish, he needed to act faster.</p><p>"<em>Filthy Dragon!"</em> Freeza yelled loudly in the sky, his body approaching the imposing figure of the Dragon. Vegeta gritted his teeth, knowing that he needed to yell his wish first, before Freeza. <em>"Hear my wish!"</em></p><p>Vegeta clenched his hands aside from his body.<em> It was now or never.</em></p><p>"<strong>Grant me immortality!</strong>"</p><p>"<strong>Bring Bulma back to life!</strong>"</p><p>A dead silence spread all over the atmosphere, as the Eternal Dragon remained speechless. Vegeta furrowed his eyebrows, trying to understand which wish had been granted.</p><p>He then glanced down, being able to see the little figure of Dende standing on the grassy field, his eyes glued on Vegeta.</p><p>"<em>What are you waiting for?!</em> Make <strong>my</strong> damn wish!" Vegeta howled, enraged, glaring at the poor kid, who was startled by Vegeta's words. He noticed Dende breathing heavily before he started to utter the wish in Namekian; as Vegeta was completely oblivious to the fact that he was being watched the entire time. With sparkling blue eyes, Bulma watched from the shadows as Vegeta was floating in mid-air, and he had just wished to bring <em>her</em> back to life, unaware of her existence down there.</p><p>Suddenly, the Eternal Dragon returned to speak, which made Vegeta conclude that he was granted his wish. He glanced eagerly at Dende, waiting for him to tell Vegeta what he so desperately wanted to hear.</p><p>However, what happened next took the Saiyan Prince completely off guard.</p><p>In a matter of seconds, Dende had vanished in front of his eyes, without leaving any trace behind. For a brief moment, he thought he saw a bluish figure on the ground running in his direction, making his heart skip a beat for a moment as he thought that his wish might have been granted, after all. However, when he tried to glance at it, it vanished as well. After that, the huge dragon created a bright explosion in the sky, before flying up into the universe, followed by the seven Dragon Balls.</p><p>Vegeta was alone on Namek, along with Freeza.</p><p>"What happened?" Freeza asked in disbelief, as his reddish, sanguine eyes scanned the dark horizon, trying to see any trace of the dragon. Vegeta was clueless about what had just happened.</p><p>However, he quickly cleared his mind, returning his attention to Freeza. There were only a few minutes left, he needed to act quickly.</p><p>"It doesn't matter what happened, Freeza. It only matters what is going to happen to you."</p><p>Freeza snorted angrily, his whole body trembling from his anger boiling his blood. "No! I won't die by the hands of a filthy monkey like you, Vegeta!"</p><p>Freeza raised his arms in the air, creating two massive death saucers from thin air. He threw the red, sharp discs at Vegeta, aiming to end his life once for all.</p><p>Vegeta quickly dodged the attack, observing as Freeza moved his hands backward, bridging the attack back to Vegeta. The Saiyan Prince jumped in the air, avoiding getting cut in half from behind.</p><p>Freeza kept following Vegeta's movements with his deadly discs, his eyes carefully following the Saiyan's quick moves. The evil tyrant had his mind focused on killing Vegeta, perfectly targeting Vegeta with his death discs.</p><p>The golden Saiyan elegantly avoided all discs homed at him, while casually taunting the desperate tyrant. "Stealing moves, Freeza?"</p><p>"Shut Up!" Freeza screamed sanguine, while launching two other discs at Vegeta.</p><p>"Don't worry, you are not better than the original creator of this technique," Vegeta sneered wryly, while Freeza, with all his strength, hurled the massive death saucers again, flanking Vegeta.</p><p>"You are<strong> mine</strong>, filthy monkey!"</p><p>As Vegeta noticed the discs approaching, he quickly flew towards Freeza at an inhuman speed. However, when Vegeta was just a few inches away from the pale alien's face, he disappeared completely in front of Freeza, leaving the discs to continue their path towards the tyrant. Freeza quickly understood the Saiyan's strategy.</p><p>"Very clever, monkey. But that cheap trick won't work on me!" Freeza sneered, while he raised his arms up in the air, redirecting the discs while searching for Vegeta.</p><p>"<em>That</em> wasn't the trick," suddenly, Vegeta's voice boomed loudly up in the sky, as he glanced down at Freeza, with the palm of his hand already wide opened, aimed at his target</p><p>"TAKE THIS!"</p><p>As Freeza looked up in the sky, a sudden ball of light was moving towards him with incredible speed, leaving no time for him to react.</p><p>The ball of energy rushed against Freeza, creating a massive explosion with its impact.</p><p>As the smoke dissipated, Vegeta saw Freeza badly injured, missing a whole chunk of his lower body. As he approached, he suddenly heard a crying plead.</p><p>"Ve-Vegeta… please. <em>Spare me</em>," Freeza begged faintly, his pain imprinted in his voice. Vegeta glanced down at what was left of Freeza. The Saiyan Prince lowered his flight position, heading towards the ground, while still glaring at the dying evil tyrant.</p><p>"Are you begging for your life, Freeza?" The Saiyan Prince hissed teasingly, his glare cold as a grave, while moving closer to Freeza.</p><p>"Vegeta… I always liked you. You have always been… my favorite," Freeza murmured weakly, as more blood kept coming freely from his wounds. "I was planning… that you could… take my place someday… as the ruler of the universe."</p><p>Vegeta's scowl was settled into his face, as the words coming from his enemy only seemed to intensify his rage and disgust.</p><p>"Please… Vegeta…" Freeza begged, at last, his eyes forcefully being able to glance up at the Saiyan floating above him. Vegeta, now right in front of Freeza, didn't soften his expression, and his obsidian eyes gazed mercilessly back at Freeza.</p><p>"See you in hell, Freeza."</p><p>Vegeta murmured coldly, and Freeza grunted angrily, as the speech had no effect whatsoever over the proud Saiyan. Freeza managed to raise his right arm up, aiming a death beam at Vegeta with all the remaining strength that he had.</p><p>However, Vegeta was well aware of the situation, and quickly grabbed Freeza's hand preventing him to shoot the laser.</p><p>With all his might, Vegeta tossed Freeza to the sky, and quickly spread his arms wide in the air, charging the final attack, his mind focusing on the task he had been waiting his whole life to achieve.</p><p>"<strong>FINAL FLASH!</strong>"</p><p>Vegeta howled his powerful attack, sending a bright lightning bolt straight at Freeza, hitting his target with a powerful energy beam that was seen even from outside Namek's atmosphere. Freeza yelled aloud in pain, while the heat from Vegeta's blast disintegrated him completely, to a subatomic level.</p><p>A cloud of thick smoke was all that was left from the place where Freeza's remains parts once stood. The evil tyrant had finally perished; his death provided by the hands of a true Saiyan warrior.</p><p>Vegeta glanced around himself, noticing the planet destruction increasing with each passing second. He was left alone, not only on Namek, but in the whole universe. He was the last Saiyan alive, since witnessing Kakarot die by Freeza's hand.</p><p>He couldn't even wish Bulma back to life, a realization that left a bitter taste in his mouth.</p><p>He had achieved a power never before seen among the Saiyans, only told by legends. And yet, what was he going to <em>do</em> with it? How could he fill the emptiness of his heart, that he was feeling at that moment?</p><p>"Maybe I should let this planet swallow me," he murmured somberly to himself, as the lava exploded from the underground to the surface, heating up the entire planet, the images of the planet mirroring the storm inside his heart.</p><p>An unsettling thought came to his mind. Even if he died, he doubted he could ever meet Bulma again, in the afterlife. The place that she went to when she had been killed, definitely would be different from the place they would send him, after all the things he had done in life.</p><p>However, an image suddenly came to mind, silencing his morbid feelings. He remembered being able to see a blue figure, seconds after it disappeared from his sight. Maybe it was his imagination playing a trick on him, but what if it <em>wasn't</em>?</p><p>What if it wasn't an illusion at all and he had actually seen <em>her</em>?</p><p>Vegeta clenched his fists, as he felt his nails digging into the palms of his hands. If there was a small chance that she had been brought back; or even if there was a way that he could wish her back, he needed to grab that chance at any cost.</p><p>Vegeta finally made his mind. He needed to get out of Namek as quickly as possible. He dashed himself into the stormy sky, trying to find any trace of the Ginyu Force spaceship between the ruins left of the planet. He speeded up, his obsidian eyes scanning the cracked, fire engulfed surface.</p><p>Suddenly, Freeza's ship came to view. It had almost fallen deep into a huge crater, as the fire was spreading quickly throughout the entire ship. The Saiyan dove in, entering the ship immediately. He needed to run to the deck, and find a spare pod he could use; the time ticking away against him.</p><p>He managed to find an untouched pod, and he quickly opened the door and jumped inside, almost breaking the entire component with his massive strength.</p><p>Freeza's ship was slowly sliding deeper into the crater, the metal halls trembling with the scraping motion. Vegeta quickly pushed the ignition button, waiting for the pod to detach itself from the ship, and bust into the sky.</p><p>"C'mon, you blasted thing!" Vegeta hissed angrily, impatiently listening for the familiar sounds of the pod charging up, before blasting away. However, Vegeta's obsidian eyes suddenly glanced at a huge lava wave coming towards his direction, the glass porthole window of the ship heating up quickly, as the molten lava came closer to his location.</p><p>"Bulma…" it was the last thing he thought.</p><hr/><p>One second, Bulma was glancing at Vegeta, as he yelled at Dende to make his wish, and in another, she suddenly appeared somewhere completely different. The sky was bright and blue, and Bulma could hear the birds chirping in the distance.</p><p>"Where am I?" She asked herself, the atmosphere seemed oddly familiar.</p><p><em>Am I on Earth? What had Dende wished for?</em> Bulma wondered before a voice caught her attention, taking her away from her wonders.</p><p>"Bulma!" she heard Gohan's voice calling her. She quickly glanced up at a tree, only to find the young warrior stuck in there, his bewildered eyes gazing back at her. "I can't believe you're back!"</p><p>Bulma smiled at him, running to his spot. He effortlessly jumped out of the tree, heading towards Bulma and hugging her for a moment, as Bulma placed her hand tenderly over his bowl-cut hair.</p><p>"Hey, Gohan! It's good to see you too!" She whispered tenderly, kneeling on the ground, and also hugging him. "Where do you think we are?"</p><p>"I'm not sure…" he said, glancing around them, and realizing that a lot of Namekians were there as well. It seemed that not only Bulma had been brought to life, but everyone on Namek as well. Gohan then spotted Mr. Piccolo on the ground, who was being carefully healed by Dende.</p><p>"Mr. Piccolo!" The little warrior yelled, running away from Bulma, towards his old master, leaving the blue-haired woman alone for a moment, as she was also trying to find someone else.</p><p>Bulma glanced around, trying to find Vegeta among the Namekians. She couldn't find him, and her heart started to weigh inside her chest. She was startled when she saw him on Namek, his hair had turned into a golden shade of blonde, and he had a bright halo around his bulkier body. She wondered if he had achieved his Super Saiyan form somehow while fighting against Freeza.</p><p>'<em>Bring Bulma back to life!'</em></p><p>His last words echoed inside her mind, making her heart race even faster. He had used the last wish to bring her back to life. Or at least, he thought he was using it to do it so, although Dende clearly had wished for something else. But the fact was, Vegeta had tried to rescue her from the Other World. Deep inside her heart, she knew that any doubt she might have about his feelings towards her, were totally insignificant at that moment.</p><p>However, the fact that she was not being able to find him only startled her even more. She managed to see Krillin among the Namekian, and she quickly ran at him.</p><p>"Krillin!" She called him, making him glance surprised at her sight.</p><p>"Bulma! Oh, Kami! It's so good to see you again!" He said, his eyes beaming intensely at the sight of his friends. "How did you come back?!"</p><p>"I think I was wished back… although I'm not sure who asked for me," Bulma continued, but she suddenly was cut off sharply as Goku's voice came to her mind.</p><p>"<em>Bulma… Bulma, can you hear me?"</em></p><p>"Goku…?" Bulma murmured warmly, glancing around, and trying to see him as well, without much success.</p><p>"<em>Hey, Bulma! It's good to see you back!"</em></p><p>"Goku, what's going on? Where are you?"</p><p>"<em>It's complicated Bulma, but I need you to follow what I'm about to say," </em>Goku continued and Bulma nodded at his words. <em>"I'm at King Kai's planet at this moment, along with Tien, Chiaotzu, and Yamcha."</em></p><p>Bulma winded her eyes, understanding completely what he meant. "Oh, no! Goku…"</p><p>"<em>That's ok, Bulma! You don't need to worry about me."</em> Goku said tenderly, trying to comfort his oldest friend. <em>"We ask Shenlong to bring back everyone that was killed by Freeza and his men. That's why you, and all the Namekians were brought back to life!"</em></p><p>Bulma sighed heavily, still listening to Goku's explanation.</p><p>"<em>Freeza tried to destroy Planet Namek with one blast, but he couldn't succeed. However, Namek is going to explode at any minute now. That's why Dende asked to bring all you guys back to Earth,"</em> he said, and Bulma's suspicions finally were confirmed. However, there was still something that needed to be answered.</p><p>"But, where's Vegeta, Goku?" She asked, her hands sweating nervously as her heart anticipated the answer. Goku remained silent for a moment before returning to speak.</p><p>"<em>He was left on Namek," </em>he said bluntly, and Bulma felt her air rush out of her lungs at once. <em>"He needed to stay there. Only he can defeat Freeza once for all."</em></p><p>"But… if Namek is going to explode… that means that Vegeta…."</p><p>Suddenly, Krillin's voice got Bulma's attention, as he was assuming what Goku was saying in Bulma's mind.</p><p>"Don't worry Bulma! We'll be able to wish him back once the Dragon Balls on Earth are ready." Krillin murmured at Bulma, taking her attention away from Goku's for an instant. Bulma nodded at her friends, feeling relieved for a moment.</p><p>However, Goku's next words brought Bulma back to reality.</p><p>"<em>Bulma… King Kai is telling me something," </em>the Saiyan started, his voice low and cheerless. <em>"He said that Shenlong won't be able to ask Vegeta back."</em></p><p>Bulma's heart ached inside her chest as if someone had stabbed her. "<strong>What?!</strong> What do you mean Shenlong <em>won't</em> be able to bring him back?!" Her cracking voice got Krillin's attention, who glanced at her with wide eyes.</p><p>"<em>If Vegeta dies on Namek… Shenlong would only be able to bring him back on Namek." </em>Goku murmured seriously, all while Bulma could feel her tears starting to blur her vision.</p><p>"<em>If Namek explodes, Vegeta would only return to the sole vacuum of space. He would die again immediately."</em></p><p>Bulma glanced blindly in front of her, not seeing anyone in particular. What Goku was saying, if there was any chance of bringing Vegeta back to life, how was she supposed to live with that fact?</p><p>She felt a huge knot forming inside her throat, as the realization hit her harshly. She wouldn't be able to see Vegeta, <em>ever again</em>. He would be gone, forever.</p><p>"No… no…" Bulma whimpered, as her tears streamed down her face sorrowfully, her heart pounding painfully inside her chest as she panted hopelessly.</p><p>"<em>I'm sorry Bulma," </em>Goku said, his voice low, and lifeless. <em>"I know how much Vegeta meant to you."</em></p><p>Bulma's head was spinning, her mind racing so fast she felt she would faint, and her limbs became numb. After a few minutes that went like an eternity, Bulma was again able to hear Goku's voice inside her mind, as she internally hoped he wouldn't deliver the news that she was fearing the most.</p><p>"<em>Bulma… Vegeta has killed Freeza. But, he didn't escape the planet. Namek is gone."</em></p><p>Goku informed her, and it was enough to make his blue-haired friend break down. Bulma collapsed on the ground on her knees, sobbing uncontrollably as Vegeta's face came to her mind.</p><p>"<strong>Vegeta! No!"</strong> She cried out, her eyes red as more tears streamed down her cheeks; her pained cries gaining the attention of the Namekians nearby, who glanced at the distressed woman with worried eyes.</p><p>Krillin approached her, placing his hand carefully over her shoulder, trying to calm his friend down, although the sight of her was so distressed that it weighed in his heart as well, as Krillin also felt his vision blurring with hot tears. He also couldn't believe what Goku had told her.</p><p>Namek was gone. Vegeta was gone.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>A/N: Guys, I'm so sorry for the lack of updated these past two months! I swear I didn't intend to leave the cliffhanger for this long! I just got very busy the past months and I just couldn't find the time to sit down and write! However, I promise that the next (and final) chapter won't take this long! XD Thanks so much to everyone that reviewed, followed, favorited, and read the fic!</strong>
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  <strong>Also, I would like to quickly mention to you guys that I created a little poll over my profile, asking about the possibility of a sequel to this story. If you guys could take your time and quickly vote there, your help will be much appreciated! :)</strong>
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  <strong>This chapter was beta'd by the amazing and lovely RoyalBlueRoses! Please, give her AMAZING stories some love! I wish could be as talented as she is! She's such an inspiring person!</strong>
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  <strong>Reviews are always welcome and much appreciated! Thank you so much in advance to anyone who takes the time to write one!</strong>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12 – The Planet Earth</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em><strong>Author:</strong></em> Becky L. Sly<br/><em><strong>Title: </strong></em>What If: Namek<br/><em><strong>Genre: </strong></em>Romance/Adventure<br/><em><strong>Rating: </strong></em>T (there will be cuss words, violence, and some non-explicit sexual situations that may not be appropriate for all readers)</p><p>
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    <strong>I just own the plot. All characters belong to Funimation, Toei Animation, and Akira Toriyama.</strong>
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  <strong>Chapter 12 – The Planet Earth</strong>
</p><p>"<strong>C'mon, you blasted thing!</strong>" Vegeta barked angrily, impatiently listening for the familiar sounds of the pod charging up, before blasting away. Vegeta caught motion out of his peripheral, and glanced at a huge lava wave coming towards his direction, his obsidian eyes widening as the glass porthole window of the ship heated up quickly, the molten lava coming ever closer.</p><p>"<em>Bulma…</em>" it was the last thing he thought, before he growled heatedly, his closed right fist smashing the ignition button, almost disabling it with his inhuman strength.</p><p><em>I won't die on this piece of shit planet!</em> He roared inside his mind at the same time as his pod busted into the air, just narrowly avoiding the molten lava that swallowed Freeza's ship entirely.</p><p>Vegeta's pod rushed through the sky, racing faster and faster as it left behind the chaotic atmosphere of Namek. Soon, the front glass of the pod wasn't illuminated by the reddish, heated glow coming from the planet, as Vegeta was finally able to see the vast darkness of space coming into view more clearly.</p><p>Shortly after that, the pod was far enough away to avoid being caught up in the planet's explosion. The small aircraft flew deeper into the vast emptiness of the space, while Namek was nothing more than mere pieces of rocks; the planet, obliterated.</p><p>Vegeta sighed heavily as he escaped his imminent death on the alien planet. However, as he faced the command station in front of him, a red light was beeping annoyingly, indicating to him that the pod had no set course yet.</p><p>He snorted angrily, trying to remember what had happened earlier with the Eternal Dragon. It was clear that Dende had made a wish, but <strong>what</strong> was it? Or, even more specifically, <em>where had the Eternal Dragon vanished them to</em>?</p><p>The Saiyan Prince tried to adjust his posture, his mind racing with all sorts of thoughts, as he felt very uncomfortable in his new form. He was still a Super Saiyan, however, being trapped into that tiny pod seemed incredibly uncomfortable for the first time, as if it was too small to contain all he was now.</p><p>He needed somewhere to stop, to think clearly, he was determined to seek a solution for his problem.</p><p>His mind quickly dropped the possibility of going to one of Freeza's headquarters facilities on some nearby planet. Soon, Freeza's death would be known by the entire empire. The Saiyan Prince knew it would be only a matter of time until rebellions started to happen, as the Colds decided who's going to take what Freeza has left, and Vegeta was not planning to be caught in the middle of that.</p><p>It was not like he feared them, especially now that he proudly admitted that he was invincible at this point. However, he has other priorities to attend to; like how to summon someone back to life.</p><p>"The Earthlings," he murmured absently, as an idea came to his mind. He didn't remember seeing both Krillin and Gohan after he engaged in his fight with Freeza, which left him thinking that maybe they had <em>something</em> to do about restoring the Eternal Dragon back on Namek.</p><p>Vegeta smiled proudly as his fingers quickly set a command and a new course to be followed.</p><p>"<em>Planet 4032-877. Omega Quadrant. Known by its inhabitants as Ee-arth."</em> The computer sounded in a sharp voice, asking for his confirmation of destiny. <em>"Proximity time travel... 180 days."</em></p><p>"Fuck," Vegeta snorted, as he was more than eager to accomplish his mission sooner. He sighed heavily before punching the red beeping button. The pod continued to navigate until it settled into a new course, already following the path towards Earth.</p><p><em>Six months.</em> He'll have to wait for some time before he can think about the next step. He pressed the stasis gas button, which quickly filled the whole pod with the sweet gas that would make this trip go much faster. However, he noticed that it was taking him much more time to fall into his slumber than usual.</p><p>"Maybe it's because of my strength now," he whispered to himself, annoyed. The pod didn't have enough life support to let him stay awake for a whole six months. He needed to hibernate if he wanted to reach Earth sooner.</p><p>He closed his eyes, trying to cease his restless mind and body. He needed to have focus and take control of this new power he has achieved, and also find a way to <em>shut it down</em>, metaphorically speaking.</p><p>After some time, it seemed that the stasis gas was gaining influence over him. Soon, his eyelids weighed over his eyes, and the color of his hair and eyes began to grow darker again. He closed his eyes and the last thing he remembered before falling asleep was some beaming, big blue eyes staring at him.</p><hr/><p>Bulma straightened her arms lazily over her head while yawning sleepily, her eyes opening slowly, trying to adjust her vision to the light lamps of her lab office. She had fallen asleep over her desk, <em>again</em>. It had become quite a habit by now, and her back would soon start to claim the price for that.</p><p>Not that she cared about that, really. Her mind had become a cloudy place ever since she returned from Namek. It was as if she was living quite automatically throughout the day, without giving much attention to anything happening around her, while her mind was carefully kept busy, trying to push away the feelings of loss that she put back very far in her mind.</p><p>She was in denial. She couldn't dare to believe that she would ever see <em>him</em> again.</p><p>She quickly snapped that thought, trying to bury her feelings down. She needed to get back to work, but an annoying roar made her stop. She put her hand on her own stomach, knowing all too well that she was, indeed, hungry.</p><p>"Okay," she said cheerlessly. "One little pause for breakfast, then." She stepped outside her office and walked through the lab, barely glancing around and noticing the people around her. She ran into her own house, searching for something to fill her stomach.</p><p>She smelled something sweet coming from the kitchen, and when she entered the room, her mother was taking off the pan, a huge pile of freshly made pancakes.</p><p>"Oh, sweety," the melodic voice of her mother's call was almost too loud for her ears. "Did you sleep well? You look a little bit tired, my sweetheart."</p><p>Bulma just shrugged frivolously, passing by her mother and grabbing a large pink mug, filling it up with black coffee.</p><p>"I'm just… very busy, mom," she affirmed tiredly, although she did try to force a little smile. "Don't worry about me, mom. I'm just a little focused on this big project now."</p><p>Her mother tilted her head slightly, sighing heavily while glancing at her daughter with concern. Bulma diverted her glance, not wanting to see that same pitying face that her mother has been giving her for the last… six months.</p><p><em>Six months</em>. She had returned to Earth over six months ago.</p><p>Panchy had no idea what had happened to her daughter while she was gone, but she knew that something very <em>bad</em> had happened. The old lady was very sad to know that the young Goku had passed away but was happy shortly after, knowing that the Namekians there would make a way to bring him back, whatever they meant by that.</p><p>At first, Panchy thought that the loss of her friend was the cause of Bulma's distress. However, it seemed that it was something else, something that Bulma hasn't said to her, or to her husband. She was hurt, profoundly, and the poor mother had no clue about what to do to cheer her daughter up.</p><p>Suddenly, something got Panchy's attention, making her turn on her heels and glance at a small TV sitting on the kitchen counter. It was actually a security camera monitor, and it was showing the images from inside one of the Brief's zoos.</p><p>Alongside the wild animals and dinosaurs, the Namekians were also staying at their own particular zoo. Once they arrived at the Capsule Corp. Compound, they found this place quite familiar to Namek, and were glad enough to share it with other alien creatures. At least, alien to them.</p><p>Panchy bent over the kitchen counter, while her left leg was distractingly scratching her right leg with her white, bulky high heel shoe. She was watching the Namekians again. It has become her favorite hobby in the morning, to watch how the Namekians behave as if she was watching a soap-opera.</p><p>Bulma sighed happily, knowing that her mother was now very entertained with the Namekians, too much to give Bulma more pitying looks. She drank all the contents of her pink mug, and walked away from the kitchen, glad that her mother hadn't noticed her absence.</p><p>She was starting to head over to her office when he heard the door ring. She sighed heavily, turning on her heels over towards the big front door.</p><p>"Krillin," she murmured a little surprised, glancing at her bald friend, who had a smile over his face.</p><p>"Bulma! Long time no see!" He murmured jokingly, although his eyes were serious. "I thought you were dead or something. You haven't returned any of my calls."</p><p>Bulma shrugged apologetically. She had been hiding from everyone for the past six months, although she hadn't planned to do that, at least not intentionally.</p><p>"I'm sorry, Krillin. You know... works been killing me lately," she smiled faintly, and she wondered if he would buy her lies.</p><p>Krillin narrowed his eyes for a moment as if he was trying to read her. "Have you forgotten what day is today?"</p><p>Bulma widened her eyes for a second, her mind trying to remember if maybe she was missing a birthday or something. When she seemed clueless about what he was talking about, Krillin sighed heavily before speaking.</p><p>"It has been six months already, Bulma." He said slowly as if he was talking with a small child. "The Namekian Dragon Ball. They are <em>ready</em> today."</p><p>Then, it suddenly hit her. Today was finally the day they would be able to bring her friends back. Yamcha, Tien, Chiaotzu, and Goku. The Namekians had promised them that when the Dragon Balls were ready, the Earthling could use it first, as a gesture of gratitude.</p><p>Everyone would be back to life. With the exception of <em>one</em> person. Bulma sighed heavily, feeling her heart tighten inside her chest.</p><p>"I-I… I totally forgot about that," she murmured, trying to smile at her friend, without transpiring her lack of enthusiasm. "I told you, Krillin. Work has been killing me," she forced a laugh, one he didn't buy.</p><p>"Bulma… do you want to talk?"</p><p>She narrowed her eyes, trying to find an excuse for that. She needed to return to her lab; she didn't want to talk about <em>that</em>.</p><p>"Gohan is outside talking with the other Namekian, you know." Krillin noted, hoping that the little kid would convince her to go outside. "I'm sure he'll be happy to see you too."</p><p>Bulma bit her lower lip, wondering that maybe she needed to show her face to her friends, at least for today. It was a big day, after all.</p><p>"Fine," she said cheerlessly, taking a step ahead of Kirllin, heading towards the dome where the Namekians were staying.</p><p>"So… you said that work has been killing you," Krillin began, kicking a small rock while walking alongside his friend, his brows low as if he was trying to think about his next words. "What are you working on?"</p><p>"Oh, you know. Just… scrapping some new equipment, molding a new armor after the one you brought from Namek…"</p><p>Krillin raised his eyebrows, while Bulma tried to look away from him.</p><p>"You are trying to find a way to bring Ve… <em>him</em> back, right?" He whispered, his voice gentle but serious, trying to not make his friend sorrow grow even more.</p><p>Bulma stopped walking all of a sudden. <em>Damn it.</em> She didn't like to talk about that, although it was the only thing on her mind for the last six months. She couldn't even mention his name aloud without starting to cry.</p><p>She tried to clear her throat, finding the word to counter Krillin, but her friend's next words caught her completely off-guard.</p><p>"Whatever you're planning Bulma, just know that… <strong>I'm in</strong>." He smiled boldly at her, making her mouth drop slightly.</p><p>"Krillin…"</p><p>Krillin snickered a little from her reaction. "You know, I'm not sure why I hadn't died on Namek, to be honest." he started, his hand scratching the back of his neck distractedly. "But I know one thing for sure. If <em>I</em> was dead, I know that you guys would find a way to bring me back."</p><p>Bulma breathed heavily, her eyes starting to blur due to the hot tears.</p><p>"So, if you need my help, I'm willing to give it to you," he smiled at her, but his smile faded as he noticed her tears streaming down her face. "Oh, Bulma…" he knew that talking about Vegeta was such a hard topic to Bulma, and he never wished to push her off the edge.</p><p>However, Bulma jumped onto him, almost dropping her friend on the grass, and enveloped the little man with her trembling arms, hugging him tightly.</p><p>"<em>Thank you, Krillin,</em>" she sobbed, as more tears streamed down her face. "It's good… to hear it." She confided in him.</p><p>"Hey, don't worry about it!" He murmured, still trying to cheer her up slightly, although he was still surprised by her reaction. "Let's just see what the Namekians did with the Dragon Balls, ok?"</p><p>She nodded at his words before rising from the grass, cleaning her eyes and cheeks with the back of her hands. They continued walking towards the dome, meeting there with Gohan, who was already talking with Dende.</p><hr/><p>Bulma watched as Dende carefully placed all the seven Dragon Balls on the green grass. The other Namekians, as well as Gohan and Krillin were watching anxiously, as the little green child pulled his long sleeves over his chubby arms and started to utter the password in Namekian.</p><p>Bulma breathed heavily, as she remembered her last talk with her friend Goku. He had asked her to leave him behind, and ask for the others first. He said to her, although she could barely remember it exactly, that he needed to be on King Kai's planet for a little longer if he wanted to archive the same kind of power that Vegeta has achieved.</p><p>"<em>Vegeta…</em>" she dared herself to mutter his name, in a soft whisper that nobody could hear her, as the sky above her started to become a dark shade of blue before turning pitch black. She wouldn't see him today, it was impossible to summon him back without killing him immediately, as she was told.</p><p>However, when the massive, bulky glowing Eternal Dragon shone in the dark sky, a warm memory washed all over her heart. She would be able to get Yamcha back! Although she could feel a knot forming inside her throat with the conflicted feelings that this revelation inflicted on her, she was happy about that. Truly happy.</p><p>She didn't pay attention when Krillin told Dende the names he needed to ask for. After a few seconds, the red eyes of the Eternal Dragon glowed brightly, and after that, the figures of Tien, Chiaotzu, and Yamcha appeared in front of them.</p><p>"Yamcha," Bulma murmured, her blue eyes were wide at the sight of the former bandit in front of her, <em>alive</em>.</p><p>"<strong>Bulma!</strong>" He shouted happily, running towards her direction and without even thinking, hugging her tightly and spinning her in the air. "Oh, Bulma! It's so good to see you again!" he panted, thrilled.</p><p>"Yamcha, it's good to see you're back!" She laughed sincerely, although, at the back of her mind, she still could feel a slight sorrow surrounding her thoughts. His dark eyes glanced into hers, and he could tell that she was, although smiling at him, suffering inside. And Yamcha knew all too well why.</p><p>He didn't know what to say to her, to comfort her at the moment. They stayed in silence, while Dende thanked the great Eternal Dragon, before his imposing figure disappeared in the sky with a blasting glow, throwing all the seven Dragon Balls away in the sky, as it returned to a bright shade of blue.</p><p>Krillin and Gohan knew it would happen, and they had prepared themselves for searching for all seven Namekian Dragon Balls, using Bulma's radar as their guide. The Namekians were kind enough to let them use the first set of wishes to bring their friends back. Now, the warriors needed to rescue them all, to not only bring Goku back to Earth, but also give the Namekians the opportunity to build a world for themselves.</p><p>The Namekians quickly returned to their temporary place under the Briefs propriety, leaving Bulma and Yamcha alone on the huge field of the Capsule Corp. Compound.</p><p>Yamcha faked a cough to catch Bulma's attention. She glanced at him with curiosity, wondering what he had in mind. He scratched his long, black hair before taking a deep breath.</p><p>"Bulma… I was wondering if we could talk, for a minute," he murmured hesitantly as if he was not sure how she would react. However, she smiled warmly at him, taking his arm and walking with him inside her house.</p><p>They headed to the huge balcony on the second floor. A few minutes after that, Bulma's mother appeared with a tray filled with sandwiches and sweet treats, which Yamcha replied with a loud growl coming from his stomach. She watched him as he devoured the food in front of him, as he has spent months without eating (which was technically the truth, if she counted the time he spent dead). She couldn't avoid comparing him with the Saiyan Prince, noticing that the last one could eat much more elegant than the one in front of her.</p><p>That memory saddened her heart once more, and she averted her eyes, glancing at the sun on the horizon as it started to set. Deep inside her heart, she thought that having Yamcha near her would maybe cease her grief for Vegeta, but it was far from the truth. She never had missed the stubborn Saiyan Prince more.</p><p>Yamcha noticed as Bulma tried to hide a small tear that streamed down her cheek with her index finger. He swallowed hard, noticing that she was still crying over Vegeta, as he best guessed.</p><p>"Bulma…" he called her softly, startling a little as she glanced at him with big, beaming eyes. "There's… <em>something</em> I want to tell you."</p><p>She nodded softly at him, not wanting to talk without her voice trailing off.</p><p>"While I was at King Kai's planet, I… saw what was happening on Namek," he began, as she mindfully heard his words. "Well, I saw what happened with you… and Vegeta."</p><p>Bulma widened her eyes, not expecting the path of the conversation to go this way. She wasn't ready to talk about Vegeta, much less confess everything to Yamcha!</p><p>"Yamcha..." she began. But he raised his hand, glancing away from her eyes for a moment.</p><p>"I couldn't believe it at first, but even King Kai had noticed what was going on," he breathed heavily. "It was even more difficult after he started to narrate all the events as if it was some kind of soap-opera."</p><p>Bulma narrowed her eyebrows, feeling sorry for what Yamcha had to endure.</p><p>"I couldn't believe what was happening," he snapped rudely, his eyes still away from hers. "I couldn't believe that <em>he</em> was stealing you away from me after I had died to protect the planet from <em>him</em>. <strong>I hated him.</strong> I hated Vegeta with all of my soul."</p><p>Bulma held her breath in as Yamcha glanced back at her, his dark eyes deeper than ever.</p><p>"I was mad at first, but then I looked at Vegeta through King Kai's mind, and I saw it." Yamcha smiled faintly at her, making Bulma sob quickly as she saw his sorrowful eyes. "I saw how you said to him that you needed him. I saw how much you were hurt at seeing him dying by Freeza's hand. I never saw you look at me like that…"</p><p>"Yamcha..." she breathed, her voice a mixture of despair and anger. "Why... Why are you telling me this?! <em>You want to hurt me even more?!</em>" She croaked, her tears streaming freely now. Yamcha was startled at her reaction, and he quickly raised from his spot to approach her.</p><p>"No, Bulma! I never want to hurt you!" He shouted angrily, as she tried to dismiss him. "I'm sorry… I-I just was trying to say that I finally got it."</p><p>"Got it what, Yamcha?!" She sobbed sorrowfully, provoking him, eliciting a frown from him.</p><p>"I saw that you truly loved him more than you <em>ever</em> loved anyone!"</p><p>Bulma blinked at him, almost holding her breath in as he spat the truth into her face. He sighed heavily, before diverting his eyes.</p><p>"And I saw that <em>he</em> loved you back. After Freeza… you know," he said, without being able to continue the sentence. "I saw Vegeta's suffering from the Other World. I saw what his feelings for you evolved him into. He became stronger than anything, even than Goku, and that's all because of you."</p><p>Bulma remembered seeing Vegeta on Namek for the last time, as he had shown up in the sky in a different shape. He had a golden halo around his bulkier body, while his hair was a golden shade of blond.</p><p>"Vegeta became a Super Saiyan... <em>because of me...</em>" she murmured, considering the remark herself, as Yamcha nodded to her wonders.</p><p>"I just… couldn't hate him anymore. Well, I still hate him, but I was also sorry for him too," he murmured, tenderly moving a strand of hair off her damp cheek. "He was suffering the same loss as I was suffering."</p><p>"I know that our relationship was on a rocky path before this all happened," he sighed, and she glanced back at him. "But, I had a lot of time to think about what I wanted to do after I'd come back to Earth."</p><p>"And?"</p><p>He smiled at her, and Bulma felt her heart warming slightly inside her broken heart.</p><p>"I want to have you in my life, Bulma. Your friendship. I'm nothing without it," he murmured tenderly, grabbing her hand and squeezing it softly. "I'm here to tell you that I'll <em>always </em>be by your side, whenever you need me."</p><p>Bulma smiled at him, her heart beating happily inside her chest.</p><p>"I love you, Bulma. I'll always love you," he confessed before Bulma threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, as she finally allowed herself to cry her heart out over his shoulders.</p><p>"Oh, Yamcha. I'm so lucky to have you," she sobbed hysterically, feeling that a heavy weight was leaving her shoulders. She couldn't deny to Yamcha that her feelings had changed, but she was afraid to lose him as well. She was truly glad that it wouldn't be the case.</p><p>"Don't worry. I'm here for you," he murmured seriously, as he caressed his hand through her bluish hair. "Just tell what to do, and I'll do it. No matter what."</p><p>"Thank you, Yamcha. It really means a lot to me," she grinned at him, her eyes still beaming and red, however, with less guilt this time.</p><p>He poked her softly with his elbow, trying to lift up the mood a little bit. "Hey, let's get out and go watch some movies. What you think?"</p><p>Bulma glanced at him with kind eyes, knowing that he was trying to cheer her up. However, she had things to do; things that she couldn't let pass by.</p><p>"Oh, I'm so tired Yamcha. I didn't sleep well last night," she muttered while she faked a yawn. "I really should go to bed earlier today."</p><p>He seemed disappointed with her choice, but he nodded understandably, guessing that maybe the day that passed by had been stressful to her. It had been stressful to him, and he was dead just a few hours ago!</p><p>"That's alright. Goodnight, B!" He murmured softly before giving her a small kiss on the cheek, and headed out of her house.</p><p>Bulma sighed heavily as she watched him leave. She wondered how much he still loved her, as she used to love him, and wondered if that decision, although good for her, was hurting him.</p><p>She shook her head with that last thought. She knew she <em>couldn't</em> love him anymore as she used to, and he knew that as well. Her heart was forever taken by a rude, stubborn Saiyan Prince that was not here with her.</p><p>Not here with her, <strong>yet</strong>.</p><p>Bulma quickly ran over to her office in the lab on the underground of the Capsule Corp. Compound. She had lied to Yamcha about her tiredness. She wasn't tired at all, and she was more determined than ever to continue her plan.</p><p>She was going back to the place where Namek once was. She was going to find a way to rescue his body in space before the void could swallow him again. She would ask some Dragon to bring him back to life, as he had asked the Eternal Dragon to do it for her.</p><p>She just needed to fix all the details now. No, she couldn't accept that he was gone, forever. She was a genius after all. She would find a way to bring Vegeta back.</p><p>Bulma kept working on theorems and scrapping a blueprint of a spaceship as the hours passed by. She fainted at some point, her body so exhausted that she had fallen asleep once more over her desk, still without ever finding a solution to her hard problem.</p><p>She didn't notice when her father showed up in her office just after the sun had risen. He pulled an extra blanket put, and covered her back tenderly while his old eyes glanced at his daughter with concern.</p><hr/><p>"<em>Planet 4032-877 approaching in… 30 minutes. Landing approaching in… 40 minutes"</em></p><p>Vegeta opened his eyes lethargically, finally waking up from the stasis state as he heard the computer sharp voice announcing the approach. <em>Finally,</em> he thought to himself.</p><p>He had never thought about returning to that mudball planet, and to his surprise, he was glad to finally arrive.</p><p>His mind was quickly sharp again. He needed to find someone there that would give him the answers he needed. Maybe he could find Kakarot's son down there. He had a faint feeling that somehow, they were all back to Earth after Namek's explosion.</p><p>Vegeta grunted angrily. <em>It doesn't matter anyway,</em> he thought to himself. "I'll hunt down all the Dragon Balls in the universe if I have to," he snapped angrily, his feelings of loss almost foreshadowing his anger and fury.</p><p>He finally landed on Earth and opened the glass porthole window of the pod in a rush. He blasted himself up in the blue sky, already trying to track down any source of energy he could find.</p><p>He couldn't feel Kakarot's, so it made Vegeta conclude that he was probably dead. That thought would have thrilled him if he wasn't too focused on his own mission.</p><p>He hadn't noticed, but he was approaching West City when he felt a glimpse of strong energy. He startled at that but quickly blasted in the direction where the energy was coming, trying to recognize from whom it was.</p><p>When he was close enough, he suddenly realized that it wasn't emanating from one single being, but from several ones, actually. It had become clear to him whom it belonged to. "Namekians", he muttered, before dashing at full speed towards their location, his fist clenched harshly aside his body.</p><p>Vegeta was so focused on the Namekians, that he didn't pay attention to where he was going, in the first place. He didn't notice the huge "Capsule Corp." name engraved in the huge building that was passing next to him. He just threw himself through the glass dome behind the compound, startling all the Namekinas there.</p><p>The green men glanced at Vegeta all of a sudden, their eyes filled with fear and bewilderment. The Saiyan Prince stayed quiet for a moment, narrowing his cold, dark gaze at the poor creatures in front of him.</p><p>He spat on the grass, trying to cease his rage and anxiousness. <em>He was so close now</em>, they would help him on his mission, willing or not. He smiled devilishly at them, making them all take a step back from the intimidating Saiyan.</p><p>"So, you all are alive, after all," he snorted the words coldly, feeling a bitterness on his tongue. "Well, well. That will serve me good."</p><p>Suddenly, Vegeta caught something with his peripheral vision. He saw Dende among the Namekians, as the kid was trying to hide behind his father. Vegeta scowl was once again back as his features and he walked briskly towards the little kid.</p><p>The Saiyan Prince shoveled the elderly man out of his way, and the angry Saiyan grabbed Dende by his clothes, raising the kid off the ground.</p><hr/><p>Bulma woke up on her cold desk again, noticing the blanket over her shoulders. She sighed heavily as she tried to straighten up, wondering if her dad had passed by in the night. She glanced at the clock over the table, realizing it was only 8 a.m.</p><p>"Oh, I definitely could sleep more…" She grumbled, trying to stretch her back, and feeling a sharp pain in response. She huffed, annoyed, knowing that she was making little progress in her studying, and a back pain would only retard her progress even more.</p><p>She stood on her feet lazily when she heard her stomach once again demanding to be fed. She huffed again, deciding that she would stop by the kitchen to grab something to eat before going to her bed to sleep for a few more hours.</p><p>She headed to her home and entered the kitchen, noticing that her mother had her eyes glued on the small TV on the counter, seemingly intrigued with the Namekians again.</p><p>"Mom, stop stalking the poor aliens," Bulma said as she poured some hot water into a cardboard cup of instant ramen absently, "They're not a reality show, you know."</p><p>"Oh, my dear Bulma," Panchy panted anxiously with her hand over her cheek; a startled expression all over her face. "I was just glancing at them when this handsome man with spiky hair appeared out of nowhere," she whined, making Bulma frown at her mother's description.</p><p>She walked closer to the monitor and then, she saw it.</p><p>"Oh…"</p><p>It was all she whispered before dropping the cardboard cup on the floor, making a mess with noodles and sauce all over the kitchen's tiled floor. Panchy was alarmed, but when she glanced back at her daughter, Bulma was long gone.</p><hr/><p>"<strong>Tell me now!"</strong> Vegeta barked angrily while swinging the poor Dende in the air. "Why haven't you made my wish? <strong>Did I stutter?!</strong>"</p><p>Dende nodded his head harshly, trying hard to push the tears of fear back, as his chubby fingers were trying to get rid of the rude Saiyan.</p><p>"I-I… couldn't do it…"</p><p>"<strong>What?!</strong> You <em>couldn't</em> do it?!" Vegeta was feeling his anger boiling inside his blood all over again. She was still dead, and the kid was mocking him.</p><p>"She's dead, you imbecile!" The Saiyan Prince spat angrily. "You're as responsible for her death as Freeza!" He cried out in anger and pain, not actually seeing Dende in front of him anymore. The little kid widened his eyes, fearing for the worst from the enraged warrior holding him up.</p><p>Vegeta was about to yell at Dende again when something called out for him.</p><p>"<em>Vegeta…"</em> a soft, familiar voice called for him. For a second, he second thought if he had heard it. No, it was only his mind playing tricks on him.</p><p>"<em>Vegeta!"</em> The voice was more urgent this time, and he impulsively glanced back, still holding Dende in his hand. He saw the Namekians moving away in front of him, as someone smaller than them tried to pass through the crowd.</p><p>Big blue eyes met his dark eyes, making Vegeta widen his eyes, as he absently dropped Dende on the floor, who ran away from the rude Saiyan as fast as he could.</p><p>Vegeta was frozen stiff on the ground, glancing at the figure in front of him. <em>No...</em>, he thought to himself. He must be delusional, it was impossible to be seeing her.</p><p>"<em>Bulma…"</em> he whispered, his voice hoarse, almost inaudible, even for him. He glanced at her face, her delicate features framed by her bluish hair, which was slightly longer than he remembered. She was wearing a white coat that made her look even more heavenly to him as if she was something from another world, and he was only seeing things.</p><p>However, Bulma ran straight at him, making Vegeta hold his breath in for a second as he thought she would pass by his body, as a ghost would do. However, she didn't pass his body, and instead, she hugged him so tightly with her legs and arms that Vegeta lost his balance with the surprise, dropping both of them on the grass.</p><p>"Bulma... how..." Vegeta tried to say, but Bulma quickly raised her head to glance at him, her tears streaming down her face and dripping on his own cheek with the proximity of their bodies.</p><p>"Vegeta... I can't believe... you are here…" she sobbed, her voice cracking as more tears came from her eyes. "I-I thought I had lost you, forever."</p><p>Vegeta was bewildered, as if he still couldn't accept that she was there with him, <em>alive.</em> However, before he could start asking questions, Bulma leaned in and kissed him passionately, as her fingers gripped his gravity-defying hair and pushed her body even closer to his.</p><p>Vegeta returned her kiss, gladly, ignoring all the astonished glances from the Namekians, who tried to cover the eyes of the younger ones with such an intimate display in front of them.</p><p>However, the Saiyan Prince didn't care. He cared about nothing other than the woman in his arms. He grabbed her waist and squeezed it, pulling her even closer to him, in an urgent kiss that could have lasted his whole life, if he could have it, he didn't care.</p><p>"<em>Oh, my! How scandalous!"</em></p><p>Bulma heard her mother's voice behind her, which instantly made her freeze, abruptly stopping their tender kiss.</p><p>"Dear, let the poor man breathe a little. He seems exhausted."</p><p>Bulma, against her better judgment, tried to compose herself again. She moved away from Vegeta, which he angrily acknowledged. He was about to yell at the noisy woman that had intruded on their intimate reunion when Bulma's next words took him completely out off-guard.</p><p>"Mom, this is Prince Vegeta," she smiled shyly at him as if she was trying to apologize for the situation. "He helped us on Namek. He's the hero that saved us all from Freeza," she grinned proudly at him, while Vegeta considered the word "hero" for a moment.</p><p>"Oh, is that so!" Panchy screamed happily, walking briskly at him and grabbing his bulky arm. "I'm so happy to have you here, Prince Vegeta," she chanted melodically, to which the Saiyan Prince could only nod in response.</p><p>"Would you stay for dinner?"</p><p>Vegeta was about to counter the crazy, noisy woman when he heard his own stomach roaring angrily. He was starving and concluded that maybe some food would do him well. He nodded hesitantly at Panchy while trying to untangle his arm away from hers.</p><p>"Oh, I can't wait to hear all the amazing stories you have with my daughter," she continued happily while taking him away from Bulma, and leading him inside the house, much to Vegeta's own surprise.</p><p>"I'll let you have a bath and rest a little before eating. You must be exhausted from your trip here. What kind of food do you…"</p><p>Bulma heard as her mother kidnaped Vegeta away from her, as a soft smile appeared on her lips, still not quite believing in her own eyes.</p><hr/><p>Vegeta was taking a shower in the guest room on the second floor of the Briefs main house. He was glad that the noisy, strange woman, who happens to be Bulma's mother, finally gave him some peace. He was concerned that her nonsense talking would follow him inside the bathroom. Fortunately, that wasn't the case.</p><p>He was satisfied to be able to clean himself. The last time he had showered was… months ago? He wasn't exactly sure. He was rushing himself to get the task done quickly, not only because he was intrigued with Bulma's mother's promise about "the best feast in the world" she mentioned earlier while escorting him to this room, but also because he needed to see Bulma again. He almost couldn't believe that she was fine and alive.</p><p>He stepped out of the shower and wrapped a white towel around his waist. He headed to the main room and searched for a pile of clean clothing the old, crazy woman mentioned she would deliver to him. He glanced over the dresser and his eyes could not be deceiving him. He took the clothes in his hands, almost as if he was holding a pile of trash.</p><p>"The woman must be <em>mental</em> to think I'm going to wear this," he hissed, annoyed, glowering at the hot pink shirt between his fingers. However, before he could continue thinking about that issue, he heard a soft knock coming from his door.</p><p>"<em>Vegeta…?"</em> Bulma's voice sounded tenderly outside the door. Before he could think, he almost jumped to the door, opening it at a sudden, startling Bulma from the other side that didn't expect to see a half-naked Vegeta in front of her. She was still wearing the same clothing as earlier, but she was now carrying a tray with two cardboard cups with steaming contents on it. The smell intrigued him for a moment.</p><p>"Oh… hey," she murmured gawky, her eyes traveling from his face, to his sculpted torso, ending on the white towel hanging loosely around his waist, exciting her own imagination. She glanced at his obsidian eyes again, finding them staring at her in a smoldering gaze.</p><p>She cleared her throat before speaking again. "Did you… made yourself comfortable?"</p><p>However, Vegeta huffed at her question, his signature scowl back on his features.</p><p>"I'm not wearing this foolish piece of garment your noisy mother gave me," he hissed bitterly, and Bulma frowned at him, taking a step inside the room and glancing at the pink shirt tossed on the floor. She laughed at that.</p><p>"That's ok. I'll bring something else for you," she murmured tenderly, still holding the tray in her hands. "What's your favorite color?"</p><p>Vegeta took a second to think about that before the words came out of his mouth.</p><p>"Blue."</p><p>Bulma smiled at that. "I'll find something blue, then."</p><p>"What are you holding?" He asked intrigued, his eyes locked on the two cardboard cups.</p><p>"Oh, I thought you might be hungry, so I brought you some Instant Ramen," she responded warmly while placing the tray over the dresser, and handing him a steaming cup. "My mother is downstairs with the carters preparing a huge meal, but I know it can take a while before it's done."</p><p>"What's it… what did you call it again?"</p><p>"Instant Ramen," she murmured gently. "It's the best food on the planet," she said confidently. She wasn't lying though. At least for her, nothing could compare to a good old instant ramen cup. It was like a guilty pleasure food, something that she hadn't told anyone before.</p><p>However, she didn't mind sharing that little secret with Vegeta.</p><p>He headed over to her and grabbed the cup, before taking a small sip from it and then realizing how delicious it actually was. He had never tasted anything like that. He swallowed almost the whole content in one shot, not even caring if it was too hot. Bulma smiled at that, and promptly handed to him the second cup, already guessing that just one sample wouldn't be enough for his Saiyan hunger.</p><p>"You're definitely hungry," Bulma murmured after he finished the other cup in seconds. "Maybe we should get down and see if we find something else for you to eat."</p><p>"No," Vegeta seriously said, while placing the cup over the side table and cleaning the edge of his mouth with the back of his hand, making Bulma widen her eyes with the tone of his voice.</p><p>He stepped closer to her, his gaze staring into her big, blue eyes that he didn't think he would miss so much. He took her hand and pressed her wrist under his nose, taking a moment to breathe her lovely scent. He hadn't paid much attention to her scent back on Namek. But now, it was almost like he was being intoxicated by it.</p><p>He turned her hand slightly to face down, suddenly realizing that her nails were a strange shade of glittery blue. He briefly glanced at her, noticing her gaze on him and her mouth slightly dropped. <em>What else from her is also blue</em>, he wondered in his mind, while he pulled her arm closer to him, his nose traveling to the whole length of her arm, till her elbow, and shoulder, and finally stopped at the crook of her neck. The smell was even better there and he noticed her heavy breathing while he placed a kiss over her delicate, thin skin; the fingers of his other hand tangled on her bluish hair.</p><p>He raised his head slightly, meeting her gaze for a moment before he placed his forehead on hers, closing his eyes and breathing deeply, being surrounded by her scent.</p><p>Bulma sighed heavily, and also closed her eyes. Vegeta was so gentle with his touch that it surprised her. Well, it did much more than <em>just</em> surprise her. For a moment she almost forgot that she was breathing.</p><p>"<em>I thought I had lost you,"</em> he sighed, his voice filled with sorrow, but she could feel that he seemed relieved. "I was struggling to find a way to bring you back."</p><p>"I'm right here," she whispered, cupping his cheek tenderly with her hands. "I saw you there… on Namek. I saw what you've become."</p><p>Vegeta withdrew slightly, with a frown settled upon his face. She shrugged before continuing.</p><p>"I saw how powerful you were. You've become a Super Saiyan, right?" she asked in a whisper, and he absently nodded at her question, still seemingly confused. "I saw when you wished me back."</p><p>It suddenly hit him. His mind wasn't playing tricks on him. He <em>truly</em> saw her back then.</p><p>"It.. it was you there?" He murmured tensely, and Bulma just nodded.</p><p>"We were brought back to life. All the people that were killed by Freeza. They brought us back to life before sending us here," she murmured, her voice also filled with sorrow. They had left Vegeta there on purpose, to defeat Freeza. Although he had accomplished that, it was something that she was still having a hard time forgiving.</p><p>She glanced again at his eyes. "I thought that <em>I</em> had lost you," she began, her voice trailing off slightly. "When we arrived here, Goku told me…"</p><p>"Kakarot? He's not dead?"</p><p>"Yes… he is. He was able to talk with me from the Other World, or something," she murmured. "He told me that you've defeated Freeza, but you didn't escape from Namek's explosion."</p><p>Vegeta huffed. "That clown. He did underestimate me," he hissed, eliciting a soft laugh from Bulma.</p><p>"I'm glad he did." She breathed softly, biting her lower lip while her fingers caressed his cheek tenderly. "I was going insane here. I was trying to figure out a way to bring you back, as well."</p><p>Vegeta smiled shyly at her. "We seem like dogs chasing our tails," Bulma laughed, agreeing with his words.</p><p>Vegeta glanced again at her big, beaming blue eyes, suddenly being totally overwhelmed by emotions. <em>I am at peace</em>, he thought to himself, although it wasn't something he felt comfortable to say aloud. But it didn't matter. All that mattered at that moment was the woman between his arms.</p><p><em>His woman,</em> he thought possessively, wondering what she would think if he called her like that. Maybe <em>'my Bulma'</em> would be more convincing for her, he added to himself.</p><p>Not wanting to waste any more time, he leaned in and kissed her, taking the time to taste her properly. His hands traveled over her whole body, shattering her clothes without a second thought while his white towel dropped from his waist.</p><p>They were both exposed to each other. Without interrupting their kisses, Vegeta grabbed Bulma and pulled her legs around his torso, pressing her body with his own excitement, pushing her body against the wall.</p><p>He could feel his urgency to take her, to mate with her, boiling the blood through his veins. He never felt a desire so intense like that. Between her heavy breathing and sweet moans, he headed with her to the bed behind them, still pressing his body firmly against hers.</p><p><em>Finally</em>, he thought to himself before diving his mind and body fully to the beautiful woman naked under his body.</p><hr/><p>"<em>Wow…"</em> Bulma moaned, with a short breath, while leaning her head exhausted in the pillow. Her whole body was sweaty, and she felt like some kind of jelly due to the numbness of her limbs. She doubted she could even stand up properly without stumbling around.</p><p>"Yeah…" Vegeta murmured hoarsely next to her, with his right arm under his neck for support, gasping for air while a trail of sweat dripped down his temple. Bulma smiled shyly to him, feeling her cheeks burning, more because of the after sex ecstasy than her shyness, although she was feeling like a teenager right now, without knowing what to say or what to think.</p><p>She never had anything like that before, and she was surprised to see how Vegeta was so… dedicated to her, for lack of better words. It was like he had taken all the time he had to explore her, please her, but he was also urgent as well, in a constant battle to hurry up and also make the time last.</p><p><em>It was definitely another world experience,</em> she thought to herself, feeling her cheeks burning even more while she glanced at the tired, sweaty, and handsome Saiyan Prince leaning right next to her.</p><p>Vegeta had his eyes closed for a moment, trying to catch his air, but also with a feeling that although it was pleasant, he was having a hard time admitting to himself.</p><p>He had never had an encounter with another woman like that. His previous sex-encounters with alien females had been almost too mechanical for him to remember anyone that stood out. It was more of a task, a physiological need that needed to be fed once in a while.</p><p>However, Bulma was different. He wanted to take his time with her, to taste her and touch her in every inch of her body, while at the same time his body was exploding with the urgency to take her and mate with her.</p><p>He never had been this intimate with anyone before. He grinned at that, the feeling being almost too alien for him.</p><p>"What are you thinking?" Bulma murmured quietly, while she managed to cuddle back to him, placing her head tenderly above his chest, while her fingers were absently drawing circles in his chest hair. Vegeta snickered at her before answering.</p><p>"I… was right about you," he murmured, still with a shy smile upon his lips, his eyes still closed. Bulma frowned at that and raised her head a little bit so she could see him better. He opened his eyes and then his smoldering, intense, obsidian gaze was gazing at her, meeting her beaming big blue eyes.</p><p>Bulma glanced with owlish eyes, waiting for the answer.</p><p>"You are definitely a vulgar woman," he murmured warmly, although by his voice he didn't seem judgmental, but kind of amused.</p><p>"<em>N-no… I'm not!"</em> Bulma protested urgently, feeling her cheeks burning even more. Vegeta grinned at that, and his laugh, although still shy and careful, warmed her heart.</p><p>"Well, it wasn't me that in the middle of the mating decided to jump over me and frantically ride my co-"</p><p>"<strong>Alright!"</strong> Bulma crowed, embarrassed, while her whole body was now hot and her cheeks were beyond red. She tried to push him away, but he managed to pull her arm effortlessly and in the next second, she was once again under his body.</p><p>"I'm not saying I <em>didn't</em> like that," he murmured hoarsely while leaning his head to the crook of her neck, taking the time to breathe her scent before caressing her soft and thin skin with his own nose.</p><p>Bulma sighed heavily with that, feeling her own legs almost shaking again by his touch alone. She grabbed his hair and passed her fingers through his dark mane, taking also time to breathe in all his masculine scent. She was in ecstasy that moment, her heart so filled with joy that she thought she would fly through the ceiling if the Saiyan Prince wasn't holding her firmly under his embrace.</p><p>Vegeta moved his head up slightly, to be able to glance at her big eyes. She had never seen that expression before. He was calm, almost serene glancing at her. It was like all the walls he had built around himself were turned down at that second. It was a treasured moment lost in time, and she was the only one witnessing it.</p><p>Her heart beat faster and louder, as she filled her lungs with air to make enough courage to spill out the words that were stuck at the back of her mouth.</p><p>"<em>I love you, Vegeta</em>," she whispered tenderly under her breath, but she was sure he had listened to her.</p><p>She glanced at him, noticing that his expression was blank, not mirroring what she expected to see. Suddenly, a cold shiver ran down her spine, as a horrific thought rummaged inside her mind. <em>Oh, no. Did I say it too soon?! Oh, my! I did say it too soon!</em></p><p>Bulma was about to run away and hide from him, when his next words took her completely away from her particular nightmare.</p><p>"What… what does it mean?" he murmured, sincerely. She blinked a few times, her mind trying to process what he had just said, before she dropped her mouth open slightly.</p><p>"Oh… it's just something we say here, on Earth," she shrugged her shoulders, trying to seem indifferent at his reaction as if it was not a big deal. "We say it when we want to show someone how much they mean to us," she continued, eliciting a frown from the Saiyan.</p><p>Bulma bit her lower lip, wondering how much more she would need to explain it. "Well, it's like we're saying that we're… giving our heart, you know?" She swallowed hard; his expression still blank. "We're saying that we're… vulnerable, I guess. That the person is important, the most important person in the world."</p><p>Bulma could feel her sweat running down her temples, and her throat was almost dry. <em>Gosh, and here I thought that saying 'I love you' would be the tougher part</em>, she thought to herself.</p><p>However, Vegeta's reaction caught her unprepared, as he laughed heartily for a moment, as he moved his body away from hers and laid down on the mattress, still laughing.</p><p>"Those are definitely words of a weakling planet," he mocked as if he had just heard the funniest joke in the universe. Bulma whined at his condescending comment, feeling offended. She had not only declared her feelings to him aloud, but she had poured her own heart out. She sat on the bed, moving slightly away from him to grab a piece of sheets and cover her naked body from his view.</p><p>"Oh, really?" she hissed, annoyed, and her tone was definitely heard by the Saiyan Prince, who suddenly stopped laughing. "So you, the powerful Saiyan race, don't have a word for that… kind for feeling?"</p><p>"No," Vegeta said bluntly, also sitting in bed, with his signature scowl once more printed on his features. "We don't say this silly nonsense. We're a warrior race. We have our own way."</p><p>Bulma huffed angrily. "Oh, really? And what's it like?"</p><p>"We mate."</p><p>The blue-haired woman whined again, feeling her heart tightening inside her chest. She couldn't believe that she had misinterpreted him so badly like that. It was obvious that their feelings were different towards each other. She breathed in deeply, pushing the tears back to look more confident than she was feeling.</p><p>"Well, I'm glad that <em>you</em> had what you wanted." She murmured cheerlessly, while moving her body outside the bed, already with her mind made up. "If you would excuse me…" she said, while stepping on the floor.</p><p>Vegeta, however, noticed how things had changed drastically at a sudden. He impulsively grabbed her arm roughly, making her stay. She glanced at him furiously, although he also could see that she was hurt.</p><p><em>Fuck, I didn't travel the whole fucking universe for this</em>, he yelled inside his mind, trying to understand what had hurt her.</p><p>"Do you know what <em>mate</em> means to us, Saiyan?" he asked her, although his voice was much sharper than he intended.</p><p>"No."</p><p>Vegeta huffed, still holding her arm, although he was sure he wasn't hurting her. He just didn't want to let her go, not anymore.</p><p>"Well, so you misjudged me without even knowing anything from my race, from our ways of living, to more."</p><p>Bulma was quiet, still waiting for him to give her a good explanation that wouldn't make her leave him.</p><p>"We don't just go out and mate with anyone," he began, his voice grave and his eyes serious. "It's a… sacred thing that can only happen once in a lifetime. It's not something that is planned. It just happens."</p><p>Bulma softened her expression, as continued to explain with a serious tone.</p><p>"When we find our mate, it's for life. It's a strong bond that can't be broken by any means. It's much more than just saying that we're giving our heart to someone," he murmured rudely, eliciting a sigh from Bulma. "It's… so much more than that."</p><p>Bulma glanced at him for a moment, suddenly realizing that although he seemed serious, he was indeed having trouble finding the right words. She noticed him taking a deep breath before letting her arm go harshly, his eyes still staring at hers in a smoldering gaze.</p><p>"Listen to me, woman," he said rudely, making Bulma blink a few times. "What I'm going to say… I am not going to say this again, so pay attention."</p><p>She wanted to yell at him to screw himself for that behavior, however, something made her calm down and listen, wondering if what he was about to say was so hard that he chose to be a rude brute to make it easier.</p><p>Bulma raised her eyebrows as if asking for him to continue. He took another breath before his words came out of his mouth.</p><p>"When you were killed by Freeza, the pain that I felt... was nothing like anything I had to endure in my whole fucking life," he hissed, his fist clenched with the comment. "I hated myself more than Freeza at that moment because I failed to protect the only person that I wanted to protect."</p><p>Bulma widened her eyes at his words, her heart tightening inside her chest as she heard from his perspective, the last events of Namek.</p><p>"When I became this Super Saiyan form, it was almost bearable to breathe again, and I had only one focus in my mind, and that was to make Freeza pay."</p><p>He sighed heavily, averting his gaze for a moment. "When I won and finally defeated Freeza, what I felt was an all-encompassing.. emptiness inside of me. I was the most strong being in the universe and it meant shit… because <strong>you</strong> were <em>not</em> there anymore," he murmured, glancing at her eyes again.</p><p>"I thought about ending my own life on Namek, simply because that wasn't a reason to move on. I didn't want to live a life where <em>you</em> were not part of it."</p><p>"But then, I remember seeing something a few minutes back, before the Dragon disappeared from the planet. I thought I had seen you again. It gave me hope."</p><p>"I was going to hunt down a solution in the whole universe to bring you back to me."</p><p>Vegeta noticed tears forming in Bulma's eyes, although she didn't seem angry anymore. He felt the strange feeling inside his heart again and was conflicted wondering what it was. He then realized what he had just said to her: he rather let go of his own life, his own enormous power, because he couldn't live without her anymore. She had bewitched his mind and heart, and now he knew the truth: he was vulnerable.</p><p>However, he quickly concluded that it was his own vulnerability, his feelings of loss and pain over her death, that transformed him into this whole new stage of strength. It did go against everything he learned from his race, to never let emotion control your actions and mind. However, it was precisely this that made him… evolve.</p><p><em>Hm, maybe the Earthling indeed had a better word to describe it</em>, he thought for a moment before Bulma moved her body closer to his, her pale, warm hand cupping his left cheek.</p><p>"I'm glad you chose to come to Earth," she murmured and although he wasn't sure if she meant this morning, or almost two years ago, he grinned at her, leaning his body close to kiss her, and moving her delicate figure under his own body again.</p><p>He kissed her tenderly, something he had learned from her. However, after all, he had said to her, after all he had confessed, that was one thing that he still needed to ask her.</p><p>"Bulma," he whispered in her ear, making her tickle slightly with his breath over her skin. He murmured his next words with his nose tangled on her soft hair. "Do you want to be my mate… for life?"</p><p>Bulma widened her eyes for a second, wondering what he meant with that. <em>It's a marriage proposal? Is he inviting me for another round of sex? Are we dating?! </em>She thought for a second. However, once Vegeta pulled his face to glance her straight into her blue eyes, waiting for an answer, the realization hit her.</p><p>It didn't matter what he was proposing to her. She would accept it anyway because, like him, she couldn't live anymore without him.</p><p>"Yes," she whispered tenderly, and her heart warmed at the sight of his sincere, happy smile. She bit her lower lips for a moment. "Do you… want to be my mate for life?"</p><p>The question surprised him because it was not common for a Saiyan woman to ask it back. However, he smiled at that. It was Bulma, after all. She was no Saiyan woman, she was different. <em>She was better</em>.</p><p>"Yes," he answered, still amused by her courage. She had understood his morals, which made him feel like he was finally home. On a different planet, but it was definitely a feeling of home.</p><p>He restarted his way to her mouth again, determined to seal their mating as soon as possible. He pulled her naked body even closer to his, squeezing her hips roughly and taking his time to explore her mouth with his tongue. Bulma moaned something between their kisses, and Vegeta, very annoyed, took a little break from it.</p><p>"So… does it means that you'll be staying here for a while?" she murmured teasingly, and Vegeta frowned at her. After all he had said, she was still doubting his intentions? However, he was starting to fully understand her, and by the vixen gaze she had on her big blue eyes, he understood that she was teasing him to say more about his feelings.</p><p>He snickered at her, returning his attention to her neck, and traveling down to her breasts and stomach.</p><p>"Who knows…" he murmured between kisses, enjoying seeing her moaning with his touches and kisses. "Let's see what this planet has to offer," he said, raising his head and coming closer to her face.</p><p>She pretended to be thinking hard, scratching her chin for a moment. "Hmm… I can think about a thing or two."</p><p>Vegeta grinned at her, before finally kissing her again and re-engaging what he wanted to eagerly do. <em>Love. It's a silly word</em>, he thought to himself. <em>But maybe not too alien</em>, he added quietly in his mind.</p><p>"We shall see it."</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>THE END</strong>
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  <strong>A/N: OMG. It's finally finished! I'm sorry it took months to update the fic, but I truly hope the waiting was worth your expectations! I really want to thank so much to everyone that reviewed, followed, favorited, and read the fic! And also, a HUGE thank you to all the amazing friends I made here! Without your lovely msgs, suggestions, predictions, and PM's asking if I was still alive, I wouldn't be able to complete this work!</strong>
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  <strong>A HUUUUGE thank the most lovely person I've met, my amazing beta RoyalBlueRoses! Girl, I can't say how much you inspire me. This fic would NEVER be the same without you! I made a little tribute on this chapter to you (the glittery blue nail polish on Bulma)! I hope you liked that (if you're wondering where I get that tribute from, check out her Gemini Saga Fic!).</strong>
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  <strong>I want to thank my husband (hoooney), because, without you, I would never have watched DBZ (and fall in love with it) in the first place. Love you with my whole heart.</strong>
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  <strong>And thank YOU! Who followed me for the last year and read my work until here. I hope you've enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it.</strong>
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  <strong>I wish you all my love and forever gratitude (yes, I'm melodramatic). Stay well, wherever you are!</strong>
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  <strong>Reviews are always welcome and much appreciated! Thank you so much in advance to anyone who takes the time to write one!</strong>
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  <strong>Love, Becky!</strong>
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